A Tauranga couple are appealing to the public for help after their avocado orchard was hit by thieves.
Lyn Pratt who lives in Whakamarama says the fruit was taken either Saturday night or early Sunday morning, along a section of State Highway 2.
"There are only two photos and it only shows a light under the camera, which tells me they were there at night time," she says.
Ms Pratt says 1000 avocados have been taken, and possibly more, saying "it’s not like cows, you don’t know how many are gone".
She says the alleged offenders could’ve "pulled something down on the (electric) fence to automatically short it".
She says her and her husband have spent thousands of dollars, and long days installing security cameras, deer fences, and electric wires, but somehow the fruit was still taken.
"It’s really, really, really annoying," she says.
"I don’t know whether they were disturbed or not, but there was an onion bag full of avocados left behind, plus a big carry bag full of avocados as well."
Sadly this is not the first time the couple have had fruit taken, having been hit three times last year.
"It’s not going to break the bank, we’re not going to starve or anything like that… it’s just totally frustrating," she says.
And the couple have given up on the honesty box: "We don’t use anymore because people steal the avocados".
Earlier this year avocados were selling for as much as $10 each.
Police told 1 NEWS they received a report of a large number of avocados stolen from a property in Whakamarama on Saturday 8 or Sunday 9 June and they attended the scene.
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