Apprentice still missing notes

Rupert Ellis-Jones was car-jacked and lost much of the work needed to complete his engineering apprenticeship. Photo / Paul Taylor

January ended badly for Clive man Rupert Ellis-Jones - February isn't any easier.

The 23-year-old trainee engineer was carjacked last month, losing vital paperwork needed to finish his apprenticeship - just weeks later he also lost his grandfather.

On January 20 Mr Ellis-Jones had been reading an e-book at the Awatoto lookout when two men approached and forced him out of his white 1992 Subaru Impreza with a sharpened screwdriver.

Hawke's Bay police arrested three Levin residents in relation to the incident and recovered possessions including papers and process sketches which had been in the boot - but much of it was still missing.

Most of his coin collection was returned along with the cheaper of two cameras, however a cellphone, clothes, a larger camera and the car itself were never found.

"I got back some of the work but not nearly as much as I would have liked to, there was another folder and another bunch of stuff on a pad," he told Hawke's Bay Today. "I got some evidence stuff back, about half."

He would have to speak with assessors to discuss the next step, but was still trying to deal with the loss of his grandfather.

"I just haven't been in the right place to organise it".

The Levin trio consisting of a young woman, 18, and two men aged 16 and 26, were alleged to have committed other crimes between Levin and Napier.

They appeared in Levin District Court on January 27, facing charges of aggravated robbery, unlawfully taking a car and two thefts. They were all remanded to appear on different dates.