A Napier driver's routine afternoon delivery job in Onekawa led to an afternoon of grief on Tuesday when his truck, with $10,000 of electrical appliances inside, was stolen. The empty white Mitsubishi Canter truck turned up yesterday in a street about 1km from where it had been taken. A
large-screen Samsung plasma TV, $4000 Fisher and Paykel refrigerator, Fisher and Paykel washing machine, and DVD and VCR players were missing.
Senior Sergeant Tony Dewhirst of Napier police said the driver went to a Kennedy Road house just after 3pm to sort out a job. After 15 or so minutes he came back to find a space where the Noel Leeming-emblazoned truck had been. Mr Dewhirst said although the truck was recovered from McLaren Crescent early yesterday, police believed it would have been abandoned within an hour or two of the theft.
"We need sightings of that truck and any other vehicles which may have been seen near it. We also want to hear from anyone who has been offered any of the items or has any information about where they may be," he said.
Calls could be made to the confidential Crimeline 0800 567 789.
It was the first time the company had been hit by such a daring, daylight theft and it would probably spark a security review, a Noel Leeming spokesman said today.
