Poverty Bay produce thieves strike again

A Poverty Bay family has had enough of produce thieves.

About $2000-worth of kumara was stolen from their Matawhero property, 8km west of Gisborne, over the weekend.

Yet How Ng and Xingui Weng have been market gardeners on their Bell Road block of land since emigrating from China in 1990.

They are stunned by the latest theft, less than 50 metres from their home.

Son Chris Ng said every year some produce was stolen and his parents had done nothing about it. But the large quantity of kumara taken under their noses had prompted action.

"They reported it to the police and are now organising some security."

They also have phoned around shops to let them know about the stolen kumara in the district and will be watching at the weekly flea market.

The couple woke on Sunday morning to find a small area of their kumara plot had been dug up, with the tops left strewn on the ground nearby.

Then about 11pm on Sunday night they heard the family dog barking but were too afraid to investigate.

The next morning they found a large area of bare ground where their young crop of kumara used to be.

"Mum and Dad work really hard and the kumara are not even ready to be dug."

The thieves entered the property through a hole in the fence. They were well organised and had spades or shovels, evident by a bag they left behind which had many cut kumara inside.

Mr Ng said it would have taken at least a couple of hours to harvest the vegetables.

The theft is the latest in a spate in the area. Other neighbours have had sheep and avocados stolen.

Acting Senior Sergeant Trent Higgs said police would like to hear from anyone who saw suspicious activity in the Bell Road area over the weekend.

Mr Higgs said whoever was responsible would have needed a truck or ute and trailer to remove the kumara. It was highly unlikely they acted alone.

- NZPA