An ''ongoing issue'' regarding entertainment industry property sparked an incident last month, leading to a police investigation, Detective Sergeant Brett Roberts confirmed.
He said that as a result of a dispute, one of the parties legally repossessed some equipment from a rival bar on September 20.
The second party then employed the services of a local gang to take the equipment back, he said.
The CIB was investigating allegations of theft, but ''no arrests have been made at this stage'', Det Sgt Roberts said.
One of the bar owners declined to comment on the incident yesterday.
Last month, the Otago Daily Times reported an incident that left two Dunedin bars being forced to shut their doors for a day following foul play.
In that incident, concrete was allegedly poured down a drain at the rear of the Octagon building the businesses share.
The business owners and the building owners all declined to comment about the incident.
Det Sgt Roberts confirmed there was ''some connection'' between that incident and the theft allegation.
The events allegedly happened on the same weekend in September.
One bar employee said the repossession incident left a ''sour taste'' in their mouths, and led to some workers quitting their jobs.
Other staff approached for comment declined to talk about the matter.
Police want to speak to anyone with information about the incident.
They are urged to contact Dunedin police on 471-4800 or anonymously via the 0800 555 111 Crimestoppers line.
