Police are urging a thief to return a computer hard drive that could hold information vital to the Brett Hall homicide investigation.
The hard drive was stolen some time between the evening of Friday, 17 June and the morning of Monday, 20 June, from a vehicle parked inside a garage at a residential address on Pitt Street, Whanganui.
The vehicle belongs to a consultant who is assisting Police with the downloading of security footage from around the Whanganui and Palmerston North area. The hard drive stolen from the vehicle contains security footage which could be vital to the ongoing investigation and the piecing together of Mr Hall's movements before his disappearance. An aluminium case containing other electronic equipment was also taken.
Detective Senior Sergeant David Kirby said: "The footage will be of absolutely no use to the thief but could be crucial for us. The hard drive itself is also old so most people won't be able to operate it without the right technology. Our priority is having the footage returned, and if that means someone delivering it to us anonymously or telling us anonymously where to find it, so be it."
There is nothing to suggest the theft is a deliberate attempt to sabotage the investigation. It appears to have been either an opportunist theft or a crime committed by someone with knowledge that the owner of the vehicle works with computer technology.
Anyone with information relevant to this investigation is asked to contact the investigation team direct on 0800 PITANGI, email Pitangi@police.govt.nz or text 0272 475843. Alternatively information can be provided anonymously via Crimestoppers on 0800 555111.
Media enquiries should be referred to Communications Manager Kim Perks on 027 234 8256.