Vespa owner wants her classic red scooter to be returned

This 1966 Vespa owned by Kim Garvey was stolen from Global Autoworks on Sunday night. Photo/Supplied

A local woman is reeling after her classic 1966 Vespa scooter was stolen from her workshop in Hastings.

Kim Garvey had her red Vespa on display at Global Autoworks on Karamu Rd for the past two years until Sunday night.

Security footage from neighbouring businesses showed a man dressed in a hoodie and gumboots wheeling the red scooter down the road.

Kim Garvey, Global Autoworks, Karamu Rd, Hastings, with a lump of concrete which was thrown through a glass door panel with enough force to rip the carpet. Photo/Supplied

"I am actually gutted and feel sick thinking that some other guy has my Vespa, which I bought when I was 18."

Mrs Garvey used to ride the scooter to work when she was a teenager and just two years ago had it fully restored so it looked "pretty" again.

Then just last Friday Mrs Garvey registered the scooter so it was road legal again.

"I had been thinking about it for a while and my kids were wanting to start riding it to school so I planned to get it back on the road."

Mrs Garvey said she had also been thinking about riding it to work again with the weather starting to improve and the summer months in sight.

"It is really sentimental and I had it sitting in the shop after we restored it as I just liked to look at it. It has been with me for years."

Mrs Garvey discovered her Vespa was gone on Monday morning after arriving at the workshop to find the front window smashed with a slab of concrete on the floor inside.

The man had taken the till along with the scooter, but only 20 cent coins were sitting in the till.

"Maybe he was disappointed with that so he took the Vespa too, who knows, but all I want is to get it back."

One man driving home from work at 10pm saw the scooter being wheeled down the road but wasn't aware of what had happened until he spoke to Mrs Garvey the following day.

Mrs Garvey said she hoped nothing had been done to the scooter and asked people to keep an eye out, especially on trading websites.

"It is really distinctive and old as not many are around at the moment so he wouldn't be able to drive it unless he paints it, which I really hope he hasn't."

If anyone has any information they should get in contact with Global Autoworks on 06 878 8011.

"This guy has no idea what he has taken from me. I just want it back in my workshop."