Stolen Nissan Safari used to ram police car in Whangārei

This Nissan Safari was stolen and used to ram a police car. Have you seen it? Photo / Supplied

Whangārei's Scott Pattenden's 22nd birthday could not have been much worse. His Nissan Safari was stolen and used to repeatedly ram a pursuing police car.

The high-roof Nissan Safari, registration number YD2075, was in the driveway of his parents' Onerahi home on Sunday night.

Less than five metres away in the warm lounge room Pattenden had just finished watching a movie when he heard the four-wheel drive roar into life and speed off about 10.30pm. Thieves had jemmied the door, hot-wired the vehicle and driven off.

Pattenden and his father tried to follow the stolen vehicle by using facebook posts and phone calls from friends who shortly after heard sirens and put two and two together.

While the pair did not see the fleeing vehicle they eventually came across the damaged police car on State Highway 1 near the intersection with Mangapai Rd.

"We saw the police car rammed into the side of the road and about four other police cars there. We pulled over and talked to them," Pattenden said.

"They told us it had gone and for us to go home, they would let us know if they found it."

In a cruel twist the Nissan was not insured as Pattenden was working hard this week to get the money to pay for insurance next week.

"It was pretty much the worst birthday ever," he said.

And the news didn't get much better as the Nissan has still not been found.

He bought the Nissan in January and had it in the workshop having the rust cut out before getting it out to use off-road.

Pattenden reckons he had driven it about five times before it was stolen.

Whangārei Police Senior Sergeant Darren Sullivan said the stolen Nissan Safari was spotted by an officer on State Highway 1 near the intersection with Maungakaramea about 10.42pm.

The driver stopped but then reversed into the patrol car before driving off southbound.
Sullivan said the officer followed the stolen vehicle but near the intersection with Mangapai Rd the driver did a U-turn, rammed the police vehicle three times, rendering it immobile, and then fled.

The damage meant the male officer had to get out the passenger's side of the car. Fortunately he was not injured.

The stolen vehicle has not been recovered and police appealed to members of the public who may have noticed any suspicious behaviour in Onerahi around the time the vehicle was stolen.

Police said if the Nissan was spotted people should ring 111 immediately and anyone with information could ring Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111.

Police statistics released in March showed Northland tops the number of pursuits per month with 8.67 per 100,000 people, followed by Bay of Plenty 7.81 and Counties/Manukau 7.67.