Car theft 'like losing friend'

A man whose car was brazenly stolen in broad daylight and then torched says the theft is like "losing an old friend".

Tim Stevenson's 1991 Subaru Legacy was taken on Thursday from a carpark between his workplace at the Regent Cinema building in Masterton and Jackson St's Horse and Hound.

Masterton police Senior Sergeant Carolyn Watson said the car was discovered burning about 1.20pm, dumped down a bank at the end of Hughes Line, south of Masterton.

A phone call from police was the first Mr Stevenson knew of it being missing. He had parked it before arriving at work about 9.30am.

Mr Stevenson said losing the car was "like losing an old friend".

"It had its engine rebuilt, the outside might have looked plain, but the engine was good.

"If I'd kept it a little longer it would have been a classic."

According to police, the Subaru Legacy is the New Zealand car most targeted by thieves.

In this case, besides the joy ride, thieves may may have targeted the car for its contents, which included a GPS unit and stereo. Mr Stevenson also lost the records for his satellite installation business, along with a satellite meter. Cable worth $200 was left in the car to burn.