Firefighters in Auckland returned from fighting a fire to find their station had been burgled.
The crew at Avondale Fire Station had personal items stolen, including two laptops, an iPhone, two cell phones and a small amount of cash, while the four of them were at a fire on Sunday afternoon, Senior Station Officer Sulu Devoe told NZ Newswire.
It was not clear how the thieves got into the station, but they could have come through the main door, which took a while to close when the fire truck left the station, he said.
The side door had also been unlocked. There was no sign they had forced their way in.
It was possible the burglars knew about the delay on the door or it could have just been an opportunistic theft when they saw it open, Mr Devoe said.
"It's just annoying... like any robbery it's not a good thing."
The theft happened in broad daylight and "somebody would have seen it," he said.
There was no one at the station when the crew went on a job.
Mr Devoe said he was lucky none of his belongings had been taken.
Police were investigating at the station on Sunday afternoon.
Mr Devoe had heard of other fire stations being targeted by thieves, but did not believe Avondale had been before.
NZN