Car find delights German family

Elke Schwarz with her children Robin, Marius and Lukas. Photo / Dean Purcell

Things are looking up for a family of German tourists who had their car and belongings stolen and then came across a woman apparently selling their clothes the next day.

The Schwarz family found their blue Honda Odyssey abandoned on Beresford St in Freemans Bay around 3.30pm yesterday.

The car, which Robin Schwarz had bought to use during a five-month stay in the country, had a smashed window and the headlights left on.

The car was empty — the luggage inside gone — but Schwarz was over the moon to have it back. "I'm really happy, I can't explain my feelings."

It had been a traumatic few days for the family, since returning to a central Auckland Wilson carpark on Saturday evening to find their car had been stolen with all their possession including their passports.

Yesterday police confirmed the last passport had been returned to the family after being handed in by a member of the public.

Investigators were following "strong lines of inquiry" to identify those behind the theft and recover the "very big list" of items still missing.

Wilson spokeswoman Anne-Marie Petersen said the company had provided CCTV footage to police.

"The footage has captured the offenders breaking out of the car park and we certainly hope it helps recover the stolen property," she said.

Schwarz was on his way to the airport last night to see off his mother and two brothers after their passports were returned earlier. Alice Peacock