The car at rest in the Ruamahanga River on Wednesday. PHOTO/FILE
ARTHUR HAWKES
[email protected]
More details have emerged relating to the investigation involving the car [reported stolen] found submerged in the Waipoua River last Sunday morning, which the Times-Age estimates to have cost taxpayers more than $5000.
After the police recovered the vehicle, they found no key in the ignition, and no apparent evidence of ignition tampering. The owner of the car, who reported the theft, was also prohibited from driving the vehicle, police said.
Sergeant Barry Bysouth of Wairarapa Police said that two searches of the recovered vehicle had been conducted, which appeared to show that the ignition had not been tampered with.
“We’ve now recovered the vehicle, and we are able to say that, at the time of the recovery, there was no key in the ignition, and the ignition did not appear to have been damaged.”
Bysouth also said the car did not appear to have skidded into the river, but was unable to rule this out. At this stage, no further details were known about the report made by the owner.
The Times-Age estimates that the operation thus far, including the work of Wairarapa Police, Fire and Emergency, Greater Wellington Regional Council, and the Westpac Rescue Helicopter, has cost taxpayers more than $5000.
