"They're not the only car that's getting stolen, unfortunately. It's prompted us to get a message out there that for some reason a certain group has been looking at these cars."
He said it was a matter of going that "extra mile" to prevent your car from getting stolen.
"You don't realise how much you use and need your car until it's stolen, so sometimes it's that little extra couple of minutes of making sure that I've parked it in the right place, it is locked, I haven't left any valuables inside it and if I've got a stanley lock, I'm going to put it on."
Police are at a loss as to why that certain model was being targeted.
"Is it because some thieves are targeting earlier model cars because they're easier to break into and easier to hotwire, or easier to do something to ignition? I'm not sure," Stewart said.
Six youth offenders have been referred to Youth Aid.
An 18-year-old man will appear in Hastings District Court on September 4, and a 20-year-old man will appear on August 20, on various theft and driving charges.
Those eight people aren't responsible for all of these incidents, Stewart said.
"We've still got active inquiries on a lot of these incidents; forensic examination etc."
Police said they encouraged people to take "as many measures as possible to prevent opportunistic thieves".
What to do:
- Always lock your vehicle and leave windows up.
- Don't leave valuables in your vehicle, especially not in plain sight.
- With older model cars, consider a steering wheel lock - it's a great deterrent.
- Try to park your vehicle in well-lit areas if you can't park it on your property.
- Keep in contact with your neighbours and look out for each other, too.
- If you see or suspect any suspicious activity, call Police straight away on 111.
