When Heather Burns entered the front door of the Waipuna Hospice Charity Shop at Mount Maunganui one morning recently, it was 'a complete mess”.

The night before thieves had broken into the shop and stolen valuable items for sale, computer and office equipment, and had tipped more than 50 boxes of items in the sorting room upside down.

The shop doors and locks were damaged too – it was big shock to staff and volunteers alike.

'Thieves had attempted to get in the metal fire exit door…when I went in the front door, that's when we saw everything. Things were strewn everywhere,” says Heather, the shop manager.

'The jewellery cabinet was open, they'd broken the lock and taken all the watches and cameras for sale. We had a few Xboxes on top of the counter; they'd gone. Behind the counter we keep bags and other materials – it was all pulled out on the floor.

Initially shocked at the mid-March burglary, Heather now feels 'absolutely gutted that somebody would do that to a charity organisation”. 'We are owned and operated by the community – and particularly being the charity it is…Waipuna Hospice support people who have life-limiting medical illnesses and their families.”

Heather estimates about $2500-$3000 of saleable items were stolen. Most office equipment has been recovered.

However, repairing doors and replacing lock and alarm systems costs. 'One person we viewed on camera spent considerable time behind the counter, I presume looking for money but we do not keep any cash on-site for that very reason.”

Heather says her shop volunteers were in disbelief. 'Some of our volunteers live on their own and it's a sharp reminder that things like this can happen very quickly and easily. So although not personal to them, they still felt an impact of it you could say.”

A number of volunteers showed up the day after the burglary to help clean and re-open the store.

Heather says her team is now looking to the future – and gratefully requests the community gets behind them by donating resalable items to the shop.

'Donated goods have been down due to Covid seeing people isolate or not being able to venture out.”

With the upcoming long Easter weekend a time when many households have a clear out or freshen their winter wardrobes or bedding – Heather asks that the community think of donating resalable items to hospice shops.

'The goods need to be resalable and have value. Anything like this is much appreciated, because that's what keeps us going.”

The hospice shop in Mount Maunganui is at 2 MacDonald St, open 9am-4pm weekdays, and 10am-3pm weekends.