Sergeant Steve Hickey says Roberst was a first time offender and was fined $850 plus court costs of $130.
In a separate case, involving the same vehicle, Caleb Nathan Mullin, 26, a Kapuni farmhand, was sentenced to 120 hours community work for receiving the vehicle.
Mr Hickey said Mullin had a "significant dishonesty history" which was taken into account in sentencing.
When interviewed by police, Mullin said he had bought the car from a person in Stratford for $600, before driving the car to an associate's place and on-selling it to another person.
Mr Hickey said the vehicle went through a number of hands in a short space of time before being located by police and further arrests "are a real possibility" once police had located and spoken to all known to have been involved in the matter.