Wanted: information on a heritage thief
New Zealand Historic Places Trust Information Release
30 January 2008
New Zealand Historic Places Trust's Mid Northern Archaeologist,
Bev Parslow, is wanting information on a crime against archaeology and
theft of our cultural heritage in inner city Auckland.
And she's determined to get to the bottom of one of the city's more bizarre
recent burglaries.
Thieves broke into the secure site of the Chatham Building in Pitt Street
when on the evening of January 23, they excavated the well and stripped
it of its archaeological contents. The site was broken into again on the
weekend of the 27th and 28th and the last remaining material in the well
were removed.
"Some fragmentary remains were left on-site in the fill from illegal
excavations - including bits of leather shoes, household ceramics and
ornaments relating to the pre-1900 occupation of the property - indicating
that they probably got quite a large haul," says Bev
Under section 99 of the Historic Places Act 1993, it is illegal to excavate
an archaeological site without first obtaining an authority from the Trust.
Failure to comply can lead to prosecution under the Act, with conviction
carrying fines as high as $100,000 for damage and up to $40,000 for modification
of a site. In this case the thieves, if caught, face criminal conviction
and fines for damage.
According to Bev, there is a high likelihood that objects retrieved from
the site may end up for sale through outlets like Trade Me.
"A search of Trade Me shows a large number of bottles and historic
artefacts offered for sale through legitimate processes. It's certainly
not illegal to sell artefacts like this though it is illegal to excavate
a site to obtain them without an archaeological authority," she says.
Most reputable bottle collectors are aware of and abide by the Historic
Places Act, though there is always a small minority who are prepared to
step beyond the law.
"What disturbs me is the fact that this operation was so well planned
and clearly involved an organized team. Wells are messy, difficult and
unsafe to excavate at the best of times and require the removal of large
amounts of heavy sodden earth," says Bev
"It is highly likely that the bulk of the material was removed off
site for sorting requiring suitable transport. These people trespassed
on private land and stole valuable archaeological information which is
now lost to the wider community. The only people who will benefit from
this will be a few profiteers," she says.
Excavated archaeological material remains under the ownership of the
land owner, and they are free to dispose of it how they wish, though conditions
of archaeological authorities often require representative samples to
be given to museums or for comparative collections. Taonga Tuturu - Maori
objects older than 1950 - which are under the ownership of the Crown and
can only be sold within New Zealand by and to registered collectors.
"By taking this valuable archaeological material out of circulation,
thieves have really stolen an important part of Auckland's early history
from all of us," says Bev.
"Wells not only provide valuable information about their construction
and technological styles and changes prior to water reticulation, but
the discarded objects located in wells when used as rubbish pits after
their function as a well is over, tells archaeologists about the daily
residential and commercial activities of the people living on the properties."
In this case the well was likely used by more than one residence and
commercial operation, and could have provided significant information
on variations in discarded objects - for example between merchants and
residential occupiers of the properties, their status, changes over time
in regards occupation and ultilisation of the land, as well as telling
us about the development of early colonial Auckland.
"At present we only have the directory records and census information
providing names and occupation of owners of land - not lessees, as is
often the case in early colonial Auckland," she says.
"We're asking that anybody who saw anything suspicious on the nights
of January 23 and weekend of the 26th -28th at the site of the Chatham
Building (70-76 Pitt Street) to contact the NZ Historic Places Trust with
any information they might have so we can forward it to the Police."
The Trust will also be working with Auckland City Council regarding the
identification of this and other archaeological sites within the CBD through
the resource consent process to ensure that sites are suitably identified
prior to development works, and that landowners are adequately informed
of their responsibilities.
For more information:
Bev Parslow
Regional Archaeologist Mid-Northern
Ph: 09 307-0413
Email: bparslow@historic.org.nz
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