Looted 'trash' was son's treasure

FAMILY'S LOSS: Jason Scott searches a skip at St Vincent de Paul for his and his son’s possessions, dumped, he says, by disgruntled former flatmates and then pilfered.

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A Nelson man is begging the public: "Bring back my kid's stuff."

Jason Scott said he has lost everything after "vultures" ransacked a pile of his property outside the St Vincent de Paul charity shop in Vanguard St last week.

The Nelson Mail reported that thieves had ransacked property left outside the store on Wednesday night. Mr Scott saw the story and realised it was his stuff that had been taken, but he had never intended for anyone to take it.

He said his belongings were dumped by former flatmates with whom he had fallen out over rent payments.

The pile contained his photo albums, prized trophies, boys' toys, games, clothes, bedding and other items precious to Mr Scott and his son. There were also sentimental letters belonging to his ex-girlfriend, written by her children overseas.

Now Mr Scott is appealing for those who ransacked his goods to return what they took, or at least his son's toys.

"If anyone has taken it, and they've got kids, and they realise it hadn't actually been dumped, that it's treasured things, they might just hand it back in. I just want the kids' stuff back.

"In reality, that's the only stuff that's important, the kids' stuff," he said.

Mr Scott, who now lives at Franklyn Village, said he suspected his things were gone after he received a text message from his former flatmate.

He said he spent Thursday morning at the store rummaging through the St Vincent de Paul skip, but only recovered a few tattered photographs.

St Vincent de Paul staff said a skipful of what they assumed was unwanted rubbish had been taken to the tip last week.

If you think you have some of Mr Scott's things, contact St Vincent de Paul, 548 9372, or anonymously return them to 77 Vanguard St between 9.30am and 3.30pm weekdays.

- © Fairfax NZ News