A photo of a trashed Salvation Army family store in Hastings has caused disgust online, with calls for cameras to be installed to catch the repeat culprits.
The photo, shared on the Napier News Facebook page over the weekend, was accompanied by commenters saying they saw masses of junk dumped outside the Flaxmere store daily.
Sophie Price, who posted the photo, wrote that she "drove past, saw the mess and had to take a photo".
"There was people going through it too it's just disgusting," she said.
Manager of a Napier Salvation Army family store Kat Stoney said she had been sent the photo of the mess and shared it around the other stores.
It happened regularly in the area, she said, but the most recent mess was the worst she'd seen yet.
"At that store it's well known people go and dump their stuff after hours. People sleep in the stuff, cats pee on it. The store loses money because of it, as well as having to then foot the bill to clean it up."
"We welcome donations but it’s such a mess. People climb in clothing bins, they'll tip everything out."
Sometimes donations were strewn across the street, soaked and vandalised, she said.
"The store can't afford to pay anyone to clean it up or to stay open longer for donation dropping. If the store could afford to pay people to clean it up they would."
Commenter Kaylene Walker wrote, “What's even more sad is the Sallies have to pay for the junk to be removed!! WRONG WRONG WRONG!!”
The Salvation Army family store manager for the central North Island, Nigel Waters, said while they were grateful for those who donate, it was disappointing for their volunteers when there was a mess left.
Mr Waters said they understood it wasn’t always possible for people to bring donations when the store was open, and they were happy to collect items.
Newshub.
