A biltong trailer stolen while its owners slept was dumped on a farm just north of Whangārei hours later with its generator and cash missing.
The distinctive trailer was taken sometime between 1.30am and 9.30am on Sunday
from Pompallier Place in Ōtangarei and was seen being towed by a black ute heading north through the Kamo bypass around 4.30am.
Owner Coert Bosman had only just finished paying off a loan on it when it was nicked.
He put posts out on social media after discovering the theft and received a Facebook message on Sunday afternoon by a member of the public who saw the trailer at a farmhouse in Whakapara. Bosman drove up and called police on the way.