Thieves who stole Auckland virus-testing tent now at risk

Police urged them to return to the site to be tested for the coronavirus

WELLINGTON, NEW ZEALAND - APRIL 01:  Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern speaks during her media update at the Beehive Theatrette, Parliament on April 1, 2020 in Wellington, New Zealand. New Zealand has been in lockdown since Thursday 26 March following tough restrictions imposed by the government to stop the spread of COVID-19 across the country.  A State of National Emergency is in place along with an Epidemic Notice to help ensure the continuity of essential Government business. Under the COVID-19 Alert Level Four measures, all non-essential businesses are closed, including bars, restaurants, cinemas and playgrounds. Schools are closed and all indoor and outdoor events are banned. Essential services will remain open, including supermarkets and pharmacies. Lockdown measures are expected to remain in place for around four weeks, with Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern warning there will be zero tolerance for people ignoring the restrictions, with police able to enforce them if required.  (Photo by Mark Mitchell - Pool/Getty Images)
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Hapless thieves who stole a Covid-19 testing tent in New Zealand have put themselves at risk of contracting the disease and should be tested, police said.

The tent was taken from outside an Auckland hospital where it had been set up to test Kiwis for the coronavirus, police sergeant Brett Meale said in a video posted on Facebook on Tuesday.

East Health Trust chief Loretta Hansen said staff discovered the tent was missing when they arrived early on Tuesday morning for work.

“Some fool, idiot, came and stole our tent – our Covid-19 testing tent,” she said in the video.

“They chopped it off at the ground level. It was bolted in by concrete, and they just chopped it off.”

Stolen from a Covid-19 testing site in Botany.

Police are disappointed to have a report of a tent being stolen from a Covid-19 testing site in Botany. If you have the tent, or know who does, please contact us or let us know where it can be collected from. Remember - stay home and save lives.

Posted by Counties Manukau Police on Monday, March 30, 2020

Counties Manukau police Sergeant Brett Meale appealed for the thieves to return the tent and submit themselves to testing for the virus, which is thought to survive on surfaces for several days.

"If you have got that tent, or you know where it is, we're quite happy if you could just let us know anonymously where we can pick it up from. You might save yourself a bit of trouble," Mr Meale said.

"But if you have been in contact with that tent, I'd suggest you get yourself along here and get yourself tested for Covid-19."

Ms Hansen said clinic staff had to "race round" to replace the tent, which they managed to do.

"We're back up and running. We certainly don't want to be out of action," she said.

New Zealand has confirmed almost 650 cases of coronavirus and one death.