What was meant to be a fresh start for someone in need has turned into heartbreak and frustration, after a portable building destined for emergency housing was stolen in Horeke.

The 6x3m Space King portable building was supposed to be a safe, warm shelter for a man who recently lost his job, but it was instead stolen in broad daylight, leaving both the intended occupant and the provider devastated.

Now the company’s owner, Victor Smith, is looking for answers and hoping to assist the man.

“This building was meant to go to someone in need next week. The man was recently made redundant, and he was hoping to move back to his family land.

“It was our last available unit in the Hokianga area, and its disappearance has left a vulnerable person without the shelter they were counting on.”

Victor Smith of Space King delivers a portable cabin. Smith is gutted another cabin has been stolen in Northland. Photo / File

Smith said there have been some tips and hopes the community will continue to contact the company or police with information.

“Someone gave us a tip that it was going up to Kaikohe on a trailer and they sent a photo of it on the trailer.”

He said a reward was being offered for information that could lead to the safe return of the building.

This is not the first time one of the units had been stolen. Last year another 6X3 cabin was stolen from a Marsden Point Road property, but was returned.

“We hope the same will happen in this case and the unit is returned and we can hand it over to him.”

“We are helping the most vulnerable and when things like this happen it puts our whole business at risk. These thefts are devastating, you are doing good for the community, and you have people that try to undermine what you are doing.”

He said occupants have the opportunity to own the building after renting it.

“The people that stole it could have come to us, if they needed assistance, we would have helped them under our rent to own scheme. They would have eventually owned it.”