• The Campbells Bay Tennis Club’s honesty box has been returned after it was allegedly stolen, leaving members shocked and concerned.
• The box, containing several hundred dollars, was dug up and taken away in a rubbish bin.
• A 25-year-old man will appear in North Shore District Court on February 28 charged with theft.

Members of a tennis club on Auckland’s North Shore are delighted by the swift return of their honesty box after it was allegedly stolen last Wednesday.

CCTV footage showed two people rolling the honesty box away in a council rubbish bin.

The Campbells Bay Tennis Club thanked the officers who wheeled back the honesty box in a social media post today.

“Amazing work by Sergeant Chris and Constable Ben based out of Browns Bay for the return of our beloved honesty box.

“The [alleged] perpetrator has been moved from his tent in Centennial Park, trespassed from the club and goes to court next week.”

CCTV footage of the alleged thieves stealing the honesty box form the Campbells Bay Tennis Club. Photo / Supplied

The club said $15 was returned from the box.

Police confirmed they had arrested and charged a man for the alleged crime last week.

Sergeant Chris and Constable Ben returning the Campbells Bay Tennis Club. Photo / Supplied

A 25-year-old man will appear in North Shore District Court on February 28 charged with theft.

Police thanked those in the community who provided information.

The alleged theft left a gaping hole in the ground and a pile of dirt at the club after the perpetrators dug up the honesty box.

Club secretary John Roughan told RNZ the offenders dug up the box from the ground and wheeled it away in a rubbish bin.

“They had dug the whole thing up,” he said.

The gaping hole left behind after the theft of the honesty box at the Campbells Bay Tennis club. Photo / Supplied

Roughan said the honesty box was for non-members to put $10-$20, depending on how many were playing and for how long.

He said the box had not been cleared since before Christmas and could have contained a few hundred dollars by the time it was taken.

“It’s shocked us all a bit,” Roughan said.

Additional reporting by RNZ.