A police decision to staff the Murupara Police Station 24 hours a day will make a big difference in the community, after the town's only ATM was ripped from the wall, Whakatāne mayor says.
At a hui this week, residents asked for policing levels to be increased after thieves targetted the town's only ATM - which was ripped from the Credit Union building's wall last week.
Murupara has been without a cash machine since, and Credit Union stopped handling cash immediately after the robbery but has decided it will do so again once the building's wall is repaired.
Whakātane Mayor Tony Boone said Murupara residents were feeling relieved following a decision to bring cash back to the town.
"It's a big relief for the old people. The old people are really concerned of having to travel to Rotorua for money."
He said the council and community needed to work together.
"We can't fix the problem; the community has to fix the problem themselves.
"The community itself has to identify the problem and then we can support them."