The Otago Daily Times this week reported on a building being stolen from Dunback Domain.
The Waitaki District Council said one of the Dunback Boys’ Brigade buildings, which were scheduled for demolition, had been removed from the site without council approval.
The removal of property without permission was considered theft.
The council previously sought submissions from the public to buy and remove the buildings but had not received any interest.
The buildings contained asbestos.
A photo had been taken of one of the vehicles involved in the theft of the building, which had led to the council identifying the culprits, who had been made aware of the asbestos.
The council was not considering laying a complaint with police, and it was a blessing as the council was looking to demolish them.
It is believed the building had now been moved to Dunedin City Council jurisdiction, just over the boundary with Waitaki District Council.
The pre-fabricated buildings, used in World War 2, were believed to have been constructed by the army.
But Dunedin man Maurice Hayward said the buildings were constructed in 1947 by the Boys’ Brigade in Dunedin.
The 91-year-old could remember working on the pre-fabricated buildings in Dunedin as a teenager, before they were carted up to Dunback.
He had no memory of asbestos being part of the buildings.
He went to camps at the domain with more than 100 members of the brigade and spent a lot of time at the domain.
In 1961, he even went to the domain and used the facilities for his honeymoon.
