Joyriders dump stolen car at Castlecliff Beach

A stolen car was abandoned on the North Mole with a rock placed on its accelerator.

A young Whanganui man is stuck for transport after his car was stolen overnight from Castlecliff then trashed and dumped on the North Mole.

Steve Austin said his 19-year-old son, Caleb, had parked his Honda Civic outside the family home in Kotuku St on Monday night.

"The police knocked on our door at 6.15am [on Tuesday] to say Caleb's car had been found on the rocks at the North Mole," Mr Austin said.

"We think it was probably taken about 3am. The steering lock had been broken.

"I don't think it will be able to get back on the road because the floor is all bent and they had put a rock on the accelerator so I would say the motor has seized.

"It's Caleb's first car and he hasn't had it very long so he's pretty upset. It's his only form of transport and he had no insurance. He lives with us so I guess he'll have to rely on us for transport for a while."

Mr Austin said the incident, the latest in a string of vehicle thefts in Whanganui, had prompted lots of comments on a social media post asking the public to contact the police if they had any information about the theft.

"There's been a spate of car thefts in our area so I hope they will catch the people doing it soon," Mr Austin said.

"Caleb's car was nothing sporty or flash - just a real good reliable car."

Mr Austin said the family wanted to thank Whanganui police for their help.