Police have recovered a stolen boat worth around $300,000.
The 9m AMF boat was being towed on Friday morning, within 48 hours of the owner reporting it stolen, when the truck towing it became stuck in a ditch at the bottom of the Okoia hill. A nearby resident said a man in a white ute came back to help the boat out of the ditch, but as the vehicle was pulled out, the boat fell in the ditch.
"The guy came up and used the phone," said the woman, who did not want to be named. "In the end, a truck came out with a crane bit on the end, and that truck ended up towing the whole truck and boat up the road."
She said the man said the boat belonged to a friend. He said he was a painter and decorator.
Police have charged the man with receiving stolen property, Senior Sergeant Paul Baskett said. "The person who engaged the crane has been arrested for receiving a stolen boat," he said. "There's an investigation continuing as to what happened in the lead-up to that."
The boat's owner noticed it was missing within days of it being found, but police were unsure of the exact timing. A person who was familiar with the boat saw it later and "thought it was out of place".
"It was just found on a semi-rural property, not far from Wanganui." Other people may also be charged in relation to the incident.
Mr Baskett said the boat, "worth in the region of $300,000", will be returned to its owner.