When the pleasant young man turned up to see the motorcycle her partner's teenage son had advertised for sale on Trade Me, Maartje Broeshart thought nothing of it when he jumped on the bike and started the motor.
A couple of tight circuits in the carpark of the motel she manages in Kensington about 3pm on Monday was okay too.
But she started feeling uneasy when he drove out the gate, and when he hadn't reappeared after 15 minutes she knew he wasn't coming back.
The owner of the 2007 Yamaha TTR125, 16-year-old Whangarei Boys' High School student Daniel Lenne, was "absolutely gutted" when told his machine had been stolen.
"It was listed for sale for $2200," Ms Broeshart said.