A struggling Taranaki farming family has sent a strong message to thieves who targeted their Kaimata farm, calling those responsible 'miserable and despicable.'
One-and-a-half tonnes of both calf powder and calf meal was stolen from the Kaimata property near Inglewood over the weekend.
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Barbara Gibbins said the theft had been gutting and she sent a public message to those responsible.
"To the miserable, despicable people who entered our farm property last night, the old Kaimata Dairy factory on Tarata Rd, Kaimata and stole one and a half tonnes of both calf powder and calf meal, thanks a bunch," she posted on Facebook.
She said the feed was worth up to $10,000 and was a blow for the family farming business and a new calving venture.
"Murray works 12 hour days atm, in our struggling egg business as well as feeding 600 calves every day, on 2 increasingly painful, worn-out hips, awaiting a double hip replacement that has been put off twice, in the last 8 months."
"This year we are putting our heart and soul into our new calf venture so Mike and Murray can continue to farm out here.
"This morning Murray's eternal optimism has been sorely tested."
Gibbins appealed for friends and locals to contact police if they had seen or heard of a truck laden with calf meal and powder or had heard of any going cheap.
"It's is just gutting for us as local producers and a proud, community-minded family, that at least two people have entered our property, yet again and stolen from us and
made our lives even tougher."
Taranaki police told Newshub that reports of a burglary at a rural property on Tarata Road, Kaimata, were received on Sunday and enquiries were ongoing.
They said anyone who had information, or who saw anything suspicious in the area between 4.30pm Saturday and 8am Sunday should call 105.
Newshub.
