“Incredibly selfish”: brand new picnic table destroyed, stolen from DOC campground

Date: 05 December 2025

A 10 ft macrocarpa picnic table, installed on Tuesday 2 December by DOC at the campground, had only been there two days before approximately 8 ft of the table was sawn off and stolen.

Principal Ranger Briggs Pilkington says the theft is hugely disappointing for DOC staff and volunteers who worked on the table.

"It's just disheartening," says Briggs. "We're trying to improve the area and make it the kind of spot people can come out to with their whanau and enjoy naturing. We've been working with the community to improve the facilities at this site, and a significant funding donation has been put into the campground upgrade by the community.

"Then we go out to finish the table to find someone with a chainsaw and a bad attitude ruined it for everyone. This is why we can't have nice things."

This is just the most recent theft of materials from DOC sites in Wairarapa, with corrugated iron stolen from a shelter at Western Lake Reserve earlier this year.

"It's not even about the cost, really, it's that they've stolen from the community. This wasn't a purchased table; the locals built that table themselves, and it wasn't even finished. This was hard work, and means we have to really think about what we do in the future."

The matter has been referred to police. Anyone with information can call 105 or go online to 105.police.govt.nz and quote reference number OR-2321290N.

"If anyone in the area has any information about what happened, if you saw or heard anything, or if you see someone trying to flog 8 ft of a picnic table, give us a call."

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