Reward of cash and beers offered for return of caravan

APPEAL: Jonas Ruf is offering $1000 and some beers to anyone who can help track down his much loved retro caravan (inset), which was stolen after he rebuilt and revamped it over the past six months.PHOTO/GEORGE NOVAK

A Mount Maunganui man is offering a $1000 reward and a couple of beers to whoever can help track down his stolen caravan.

German ex-pat Jonas Ruf spent six months revamping and fitting out a rundown Pixie 10 caravan. The 32-year-old is a cabinet maker and interior designer and the classic caravan was his "baby".

The caravan was stolen from Hart St, Mount Maunganui, overnight on Monday this week.

"I woke up quite early and I went down to the street and thought 'where's my caravan?' he told the Bay of Plenty Times Weekend.

"At first I thought 'did I park it somewhere else?' but then I realised someone must have stolen it."

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Mr Ruf said the caravan was taken between 10pm, when his flatmate parked behind it, and 6.30am when he woke the next day.

He said the theft appeared to have been well planned, as he and his flatmate always parked it in between their cars to help keep it secure.

"They would have had to cut the lock and had a key to wind up the legs that are used to keep it stable."

Mr Ruf spent nearly $4000 on the caravan, not including the months of his labour. He had only managed to spend one two-week trip away in the caravan so far but it had become a much cherished project.

"You take something really dilapidated and put so much love and effort into it, you do it for a long time, then someone steals it?

"I want it back. I'm happy to give someone $1000." Kiri Gillespie