Ōtaki Museum Trust treasurer Neale Ames was watching the Cricket World Cup final early on Sunday morning when he got a call that the museum had a break-in. 

A window was broken a little after 12.30am to gain entry and money from the museum’s donation box was stolen. Up to about $150 was in the box. 

Neale, police and a security firm attended and Neale waited while a glass company repaired the window. 

“I didn’t get back home until about 3.45 so I missed several overs of the cricket final,” Neale lamented. “But I did see the end, flicking between that and the tennis at Wimbledon.” 

The break-in follows a spate of burglaries at weekends around Ōtaki, including the Ōtaki Bowling Club.

Police urge anyone who knows anything about the incidents to contact them by calling 0800 101 105 or going to 105.police.govt.nz