Owner sees thief drive off, bikes aboard, in daylight

Police say there has been a sudden spike in crime over the last few weeks in Hawke's Bay.

A Napier man's 23-year-old runabout vehicle and two budget-priced mountain bikes were stolen on Saturday.

"Anyone who takes a tired old Mitzy with flaky paint isn't that fussy," said designer Donald Pitt.

Mr Pitt was in his Bridge St office about 1.30pm when he saw the silver-grey 1992 Mitsubishi Pajero with two mountain bikes on the back being driven off from the Ahuriri shopping centre and apartment zone.

He tried to chase as he rang 111, but spelling street names and giving other details to police communications centre staff was too much multitasking and the thief got away.

Mr Pitt told Hawke's Bay Today patrons lolling in the sun outside a nearby bar later told him they saw the vehicle speeding up Ossian St.

Mr Pitt conceded his "truck" had seen better days, and the bikes weren't top of the range either, worth a rough-guess $700 together.

However, he wanted them back so he could can use them again - "for a bit of fitness".

The vehicle had the registration plate ABSGIL, and the bikes were a "silvery-mauve" Ballance and a black-framed Giant Yukon.

By mid-afternoon yesterday, no more sightings were understood to have been made of the vehicle, the bikes or the thief, who was thought to have acted alone.

Senior Sergeant Ross Smith, of the police Eastern District Command Centre, said there hadn't been a lot of vehicle theft in Hawke's Bay in recent months, until a sudden spike in the last week.

At least two other vehicles were stolen on Saturday, including a Nissan Pulsar hatchback (registration UB9406) which was also stolen from Hawke's Bay Regional Sports Park, Hastings.

Police were also investigating the origins of two vehicles destroyed by fire on riverbanks near Hastings during the weekend.