Keri Mason has co-owned the business with her sister, Raewyn, since 1995.
Mason said with the price of silver being so high, the thieves must have specifically targeted the cabinets.
“It does make you feel a bit sick, especially this time of the year.
“This is stuff that we could have sold and set us up for a quiet winter.
“There’s going to be less items to showcase now, but we’ll make the most of it.”
The door panel the thieves kicked into gain entry into Napier Antique and Jewellery Centre. Photo / Jack Riddell
It was not the first time the store has been targeted by thieves, but Mason said it was the first time the store’s silver had been targeted.
The price of silver has more than doubled over the past 12 months, from $53 an ounce on December 24, 2024, to just over $123 on Christmas Eve this year, according to mygold.co.nz.
Strong demand for the metal from the technology sector outstripped supplies and led to silver even outperforming gold on the stock market.
The spike in value of silver is being driven by industrial demand, precious-metal spillover from gold, and renewed investor interest, according to Greg Smith, investment specialist at Generate in his 2025 market review.
Jack Riddell is a multimedia journalist with Hawke’s Bay Today and has worked in radio and media in the UK, Germany, and New Zealand.