Model collections burgled

Press, 23 September 1987, Page 3

Model collections burgled

By

DAVE WILSON

A military-minded thief is systematically stripping the model collections of Christchurch wargamers and model enthusiasts, the fourth such burglary — on Monday — bringing the total value of stolen goods to about $5OOO. Christchurch Wargaming Society membership lists have also been taken. Two victims of the model thief fear that the lists, detailing names and addresses of society members, might now be used as a shopping list for future raids. The St Albans home of one member, Mr Murray Palmer, was burgled three fifties in a month, the thief progressively taking about $2500 worth of military models built by Mr Palmer over the last 20 years.

The Bexley home of Mr Tony Ormandy was broken into on Monday, about $3500 worth of model soldiers and tanks being taken. Mr Ormandy is New Zealand’s World War II wargaming champion.

Model gun kitsets have also been stolen in the burglaries. Mr Palmer lost a machine pistol and .357 Magnum handgun model worth $250, and a kit of an AK47 assault : rifle worth $230 was taken from Mr Ormandy’s home.

The police say fingerprint tests indicate the thief to be a young person, but while the police ; are-ndt, connecting :M. in<wW 'Messrs ■ Paltrier and Ormandy say there are many similarities in their experiences. Mr Palmer’s home was

first burgled about three months ago, and was broken into twice more in the next fortnight. More than 100 scale model military vehicles and figures, many of them imported, were stolen.

“The burglary happened in daylight. The thief took nothing else from the house but went in search of models that were stored in •. drawers and a cabinet in’ my bedroom. - H'■ '*■ -

“He knew what he wanted; what he didn’t take in the first raid he took in the second or third, but he did not touch my unpainted or unmade kitsets.”

:', Mr Ormandy says . his experience was similar. After breaking into the house, the burglar selectively plundered the hobby room, picking out

more than 40 specific items but leaving untouched other, more valuable collections. “We can tell from the thefts that the person is interested only in one particular scale of model and only in one part of the Second World War. Anything unpainted or damaged was left behind.” They are particularly worried about the theft of wargaming society membership lists' : arid are warning the 90 club members to tighten security at their homes.

Another Christchurch modelling group, the International Plastic Modellers Society, some the lessdri tio heaft/ lhe club is abandoning plans to issue membership lists.