A West Auckland woman is distraught after her 2023 Rolls-Royce Ghost worth $850,000 was stolen from her home in the 20 minutes she was out getting takeaways. Video / supplied
The theft of a near million-dollar Rolls-Royce from a suburban Auckland home may be the most expensive car heist in New Zealand history.
A West Auckland woman is distraught after her 2023 Rolls-Royce Ghost worth $850,000 was stolen from her home in the 20 minutes she was out getting takeaways.
A motoring magazine editor describes the theft as a targeted heist, saying “there aren’t too many cars more expensive than that in New Zealand”.
The woman told the Herald her house was ransacked on Saturday evening, with jewellery, a massage chair and important documents also stolen.
Security footage shows a man and woman pulling up the driveway just minutes after the homeowner and her family leave to get dinner about 9pm.
The man walks out of the car and down a side gate against the house. Lights inside the house then turn on. The pair load their car with items.
A 2023 Rolls-Royce Ghost, similar to the one pictured above, is a more than two-tonne sedan with a 6.7 litre V-12 engine, which can output 563 horsepower and reach 100km/h in about 4.6 seconds. Photo / Supplied
The woman rummages through some of the stolen loot before more is loaded into the car. The woman then drives their car out of the driveway so they can make off with the Rolls-Royce.
On Tuesday morning, another car was stolen from her property, a Toyota Vitz.
“We needed police to [take] action quickly so they [the offender] don’t have the courage to come back to our property,” she said.
The exclusive motorcar, owned through her husband’s company, was insured, but “it’s not about the money. I just don’t feel safe in my own house anymore”.
The Rolls-Royce, a more than two-tonne sedan with a 6.7 litre V-12 engine, can output 563 horsepower and reach 100km/h in about 4.6 seconds.
It is described by Car and Driver as “whisper quiet and impeccably outfitted with the finest materials”.
Driven editor Dean Evans said it was “a mystery why someone would steal something that is very expensive like that”, saying it was likely a “very specific and targeted” heist.
“[Cars that expensive] often go offshore very quickly and are part of a larger syndicate,” Evans said.
“[It’s] definitely not joyriders. It’s really disappointing and destructive, as cars like Rolls-Royces are often custom ordered and can take years to arrive.
“There aren’t too many cars more expensive than that in New Zealand. [The] Ferrari SF90 comes to mind, around $1.2 million,” he said.
The cars usually targeted were lower value and parked on the street, according to AA Insurance data.
Last year, AA Insurance head of motor claims Beau Paparoa revealed the most commonly-stolen cars were the Nissan Tiida, Toyota Mark X, Toyota Aqua, Mazda Atenza and Mazda Demio.
A police spokeswoman said they didn’t keep data on the value of stolen cars.
A $165,000 Jaguar was stolen from a luxury Auckland car yard in 60 seconds in 2015 - in what the dealership’s manager called a “professional, sophisticated” theft. He believed it involved a device to override keyless car technology.
Security footage showed a man walking up to a Silver XFR from Beacham Independent Jaguar and Range Rover dealership in Penrose, getting in and driving away.
A $249,000 Porsche was stolen from a Parnell home in April this year and was involved in a police chase along the Waikato Expressway.
The Rolls-Royce was taken from the woman’s garage, and the other car was taken from the backyard.
The woman’s husband found the luxury Rolls-Royce abandoned four kilometres from their house. Police confirmed it had been found. It was being repaired for damage.
The woman’s husband said the damage, a blown tyre, would cost about $15,000 to repair.
“We are not worried about the stuff itself. Insurance can pay. We are just on edge,” the husband said.
The woman, crying while on the phone with the Herald, said she was disappointed in the police response, saying security cameras around her house captured the alleged offender’s vehicle.
She said police hadn’t found the offenders, and she worried they could return again since they had taken multiple sets of keys.
Detective Sergeant Ray Misilei Fa’aofo said police received a report of a burglary at the address about 10pm Saturday and had recovered the stolen Rolls-Royce.
“Police attended the residence the following morning and conducted a forensic examination,” Fa’aofo said.
