A man’s been sent more than he bargained for and has been delivered to court following the theft of a vehicle in Eastern Bay of Plenty.
Police were called about 12:50pm yesterday by a man reporting his delivery truck had been stolen a few minutes earlier from outside the Tāneatua Dairy.
The driver had stopped into the dairy briefly, leaving his truck running outside.
Inspector Phil Gillbanks says initial witness information from the scene indicated a group of young males had been seen loitering near the dairy prior to the van being stolen, and that the van was heading towards Waimana.
The delivery driver shortly afterwards advised Police his truck had GPS tracking technology, which helped officers narrow down its location.
Officers were immediately dispatched to the area, and utilised information from the GPS as well as CCTV footage to help find the truck.
It was located about 1:30pm at a property on Matahi Valley Road, where one man was arrested.
The 25-year-old man is due to appear in Whakatāne District Court on 17 November charged with unlawfully taking a motor vehicle.
“Police would like to thank the members of the public who helped provide information about the theft immediately after it happened,” Inspector Gillbanks says.
“This community assistance played a vital role in helping ensure officers quickly located the vehicle and identified those involved.”
This incident serves as a timely reminder for delivery drivers and vehicle owners to ensure their vehicles are secure whenever they are unattended, even for short periods.
As the busy Christmas season approaches, there will be increased numbers of delivery vehicles on the roads.
Taking a few extra moments to switch off the engine, remove your keys, and lock the vehicle can prevent you becoming the victim of opportunistic theft, and prevent significant disruption and loss.
