Wedding presents stolen while couple on honeymoon | Rotorua News | Local News in Rotorua

 A newly married Te Puke couple had their wedding presents burgled while they were on their honeymoon.

Mark and Natasha Hamer, both 21, were married at Papamoa Domain on January 21 and left for Rarotonga the next day.

The Te Puke couple had saved diligently and bought their first home last July.

"We loved it here and always felt quite safe," says Natasha. "We know our neighbours and get on with them. They are pretty shocked by the break-in."

The gifts were in a box waiting to be opened when the couple got back from their honeymoon - the couple's first trip outside New Zealand.

The burglars also ripped up cards, stole $500 from a wedding 'wishing well' and took a plasma TV and two much-loved guitars.

One is an acoustic guitar, the first Mark owned, the other a distinctive model paying tribute to rock band Kiss.

"They tipped everything out of drawers and made a real mess," said Natasha.

"The worst thing is probably the ripping up of the wedding cards. Why would anyone do that and leave them here ripped up for us to find?"

Senior Sergeant Deirdre Lack said witnesses who saw people around the house were refusing to cooperate with police and urged them to reconsider.

The young couple's parents were keen to keep word of the break-in from reaching the honeymooners so they didn't find out about it until they arrived home.

Mark's father Neville was very angry that "rattos can do such a thing".
 

-APNZ