Police are making a fresh appeal to the public for information in an effort to identify who broke into an east Auckland ambulance station four months ago.
As the Times reported at the time, St John’s Howick ambulance station on Pakuranga Road was broken into overnight on September 24 last year while paramedics were attending emergency callouts.
St John East Auckland territory manager Mark Deoki described the organisation as being “appalled” at the actions of the culprit or culprits, who he said smashed several doors in the building and broke into staff lockers and personal vehicles.
“Cash, personal items and clothing, St John uniforms and a lockbox were taken,” Deoki said.
He said the cost of the damage and theft was estimated to be thousands of dollars.
“It is deplorable that anyone would do such a thing with complete disregard to the many people affected.
“It created an unnecessary and upsetting distraction to ambulance officers while they were working and attending patients in challenging emergency health situations.”
Deoki encouraged people with information on the incident, or who saw suspicious activity near the Howick ambulance station late on the evening of September 24 or in the early hours of the following morning, to contact police.
Police investigated the incident but are yet to arrest or charge any suspects.
Pakuranga MP Simeon Brown is joining the calls for people who can help to solve the crime to do the right thing and contact police.
“If anyone has any information that could help police resolve this burglary, please contact the police,” he told the Times.
“People who break into ambulance stations are absolute low-lifes.
“They deserve to be held to account for their actions.”
A police spokesperson says investigators carried out a number of enquiries into a burglary incident at the ambulance station in Pakuranga Road on September 25 last year.
“This included forensic enquiries and enquiries into possible CCTV footage.
“Unfortunately this did not provide us with any further lines of enquiry to follow.
“There are currently no further lines of enquiry in relation to this matter, however if anyone has any information and has not come forward to police, we would encourage them to do so by phoning 105, quoting file number 210925/7985.”
Alternatively, people can phone the free and anonymous Crimestoppers tip-off line on 0800 555 111.
