Motels hit by thefts

Press, 2 March 1984, Page 5

Motels hit by thefts

Tourists have been particularly hard hit by a recent spate of thefts from Christchurch motels and hotels. In four separate thefts recently, visitors to Christchurch have had goods and cash taken, and one thief made off with booty valued about $lO,OOO. The biggest theft was at .the Colombo Travel Lodge, Colombo Street, some time on Tuesday evening. A thief broke into a unit while the Australian couple staying there were out, and took a diamond necklace valued about $7OOO, and a handbag containing $2200 in Australian cash and $7OO in New Zealand cash. Most of the money was in $5O notes. A wallet containing $25 in Australian cash was also taken. The couple found the handbag lying empty on a footpath outside the motel on Wednesday morning. An English businessman had a bag containing his passport and flight tickets taken from a bedroom at the Avon Motor Lodge, Oxford Terrace, on Wednesday night. The police said that someone had apparently climbed into the man’s bedroom, where his luggage was stored. On Tuesday night, a thief broke into a unit at the Ham Motel, Riccarton Road, and took cash and jewellery valued in total about $2500 belonging to an Australian visitor. The money was New Zealand currency. A unit at the Belmont Luxury Motels, Bealey Avenue, was broken into this week and $6OO in Australian and New Zealand cash taken.