Weka fill an unusual conservation slot. In their natural range they have suffered from introduced predators, habitat change and drought, and several subspecies are in trouble. At the same time they are omnivorous opportunists with a strong bill, and their diet includes the eggs and chicks of ground-nesting and burrowing birds.
This became a management problem where weka were moved to islands for safekeeping. On some of those islands, weka contributed to declines in seabird and small-bird populations that the islands were meant to protect, and managers subsequently removed them. Deciding which native species to favour on a given island is now a routine part of New Zealand island restoration planning.
The reputation for theft is also earned but overstated. Weka do carry off shiny objects and food from campsites, a genuinely documented habit, though the notion that they specifically prefer bright items is anecdotal rather than tested.