Northland Age
  • Northland Age home
  • Latest news
  • Sport
  • Rural
  • Opinion
  • Kaitaia weather

Subscriptions

  • Herald Premium
  • Viva Premium
  • The Listener
  • BusinessDesk

Sections

  • Latest news
  • Sport
  • Rural
    • All Rural
    • Dairy farming
    • Sheep & beef farming
    • Horticulture
    • Animal health
    • Rural business
    • Rural life
    • Rural technology

Locations

  • Far North
  • Kaitaia
  • Kaikohe
  • Bay of Islands
  • Whangārei

Weather

  • Kaitaia
  • Whangārei
  • Dargaville

NZME Network

  • Advertise with NZME
  • OneRoof
  • Driven Car Guide
  • BusinessDesk
  • Newstalk ZB
  • Sunlive
  • ZM
  • The Hits
  • Coast
  • Radio Hauraki
  • The Alternative Commentary Collective
  • Gold
  • Flava
  • iHeart Radio
  • Hokonui
  • Radio Wanaka
  • iHeartCountry New Zealand
  • Restaurant Hub
  • NZME Events

SubscribeSign In

Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.
Home / Northland Age

'Horrible ratbags' strike in Kaitaia, steal man's Ford V8

By Peter Jackson
Northland Age·
29 Jul, 2019 09:37 PM2 mins to read

Subscribe to listen

Access to Herald Premium articles require a Premium subscription. Subscribe now to listen.
Already a subscriber?  Sign in here

Listening to articles is free for open-access content—explore other articles or learn more about text-to-speech.
‌
Save

    Share this article

Murray Smith's beloved V8 Ford Falcon, which he doubts he will ever see again. Picture / Supplied

Murray Smith's beloved V8 Ford Falcon, which he doubts he will ever see again. Picture / Supplied

Doubtless Bay man Murray Smith is hardly unique in having lost a car to a thief, but his case is special.

The vehicle, stolen from outside Kaitaia Glass in Matthews' Avenue, Kaitaia, on Thursday afternoon, was a 2007 V8 XR8 Ford Falcon, 77-year-old Mr Smith's absolute pride and joy.

"It was immaculately kept and specced," Mr Smith's wife Barbara said.

"It spent much of its time in the garage. We really only used it when we went on a trip. He only took it to Kaitaia on Thursday because he wanted someone to look at the muffler."

He had left the vehicle immediately outside reception at Kaitaia Glass, hidden from the street by a fence, for no more than three or four minutes, suggesting that whoever took it had been watching him.

Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.
Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.

"My husband is an invalid, with a parking permit on the windscreen and two walking sticks on the back seat of the car," Mrs Smith said.

"Whoever took it knew who they were taking it from. They knew he wouldn't be able to go running after them.

The insurer had said it would pay out on the $18,000 car, although Mrs Smith said its monetary value would be significantly more than that, and its sentimental value much greater still.

Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.

"We are both devastated," she said.

"It is shocking to think there are people like this, horrible ratbags, who would do this. Some people like to do good things in their community, and some like to it in the teeth.

"This car was my husband's baby. It was going to be his forever, but I don't think we'll see it again. The only thing we've heard is that it was caught by a police speed camera at Pakaraka on Friday."

The couple had two other vehicles, so were still mobile, but this one was special.

Discover more

GMO decisison in region's 'best interests'

29 Jul 09:47 PM

"It even had sheepskin seat covers with Murray's initials on them," she added.

"Who are these people who can do this to good, elderly citizens. They had to have been watching for an opportunity, and must be known to someone in this town.

"Our faith and trust in humanity is shattered."

Save

    Share this article

Latest from Northland Age

Northland Age

Invasive sea spurge found at Spirits Bay, threatening native plants

Northland Age

Kaikohe to welcomes two officers in unity ceremony at marae

Northland Age

'Grateful no one was killed': Man clambers on campervan to rescue pensioner hurt in twister


Sponsored

Solar bat monitors uncover secrets of Auckland’s night sky

Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.

Latest from Northland Age

Invasive sea spurge found at Spirits Bay, threatening native plants
Northland Age

Invasive sea spurge found at Spirits Bay, threatening native plants

Sea spurge, an invasive weed, was found at Spirits Bay, 60km from the nearest site.

16 Jul 04:00 AM
Kaikohe to welcomes two officers in unity ceremony at marae
Northland Age

Kaikohe to welcomes two officers in unity ceremony at marae

16 Jul 02:00 AM
'Grateful no one was killed': Man clambers on campervan to rescue pensioner hurt in twister
Northland Age

'Grateful no one was killed': Man clambers on campervan to rescue pensioner hurt in twister

15 Jul 03:26 AM


Solar bat monitors uncover secrets of Auckland’s night sky
Sponsored

Solar bat monitors uncover secrets of Auckland’s night sky

06 Jul 09:47 PM
NZ Herald
  • About NZ Herald
  • Meet the journalists
  • Newsletters
  • Classifieds
  • Help & support
  • Contact us
  • House rules
  • Privacy Policy
  • Terms of use
  • Competition terms & conditions
  • Our use of AI
Subscriber Services
  • The Northland Age e-edition
  • Manage your print subscription
  • Manage your digital subscription
  • Subscribe to Herald Premium
  • Subscribe to The Northland Age
  • Gift a subscription
  • Subscriber FAQs
  • Subscription terms & conditions
  • Promotions and subscriber benefits
NZME Network
  • The Northland Age
  • The New Zealand Herald
  • The Northern Advocate
  • Waikato Herald
  • Bay of Plenty Times
  • Rotorua Daily Post
  • Hawke's Bay Today
  • Whanganui Chronicle
  • Viva
  • NZ Listener
  • Newstalk ZB
  • BusinessDesk
  • OneRoof
  • Driven Car Guide
  • iHeart Radio
  • Restaurant Hub
NZME
  • About NZME
  • NZME careers
  • Advertise with NZME
  • Digital self-service advertising
  • Photo sales
  • NZME Events
  • © Copyright 2025 NZME Publishing Limited
TOP