‘No excuses can justify what I’m going through mentally and financially’ - car theft victim

Maheshika Jayaweera's car was stolen from her driveway. Photo / David Haxton

When Paraparaumu woman Maheshika Jayaweera received a call from police in the middle of the night to inform her that her car had been stolen and crashed by two girls, she was shocked.

Police told Jayaweera that the girls, aged 13 and 15, had stolen a car in Ōtaki and driven it to Paraparaumu, where they dumped it, and had then stolen her Toyota Aqua, which was parked in her driveway, not long after midnight on Thursday last week.

Within five minutes police were following the stolen Toyota, and in an attempt to evade being apprehended the girls crashed Jayaweera’s car into a fence, writing it off.

Jayaweera said her car was very sentimental to her - it was her first car and there had been periods when she slept in it - and she planned to sell it in case of an emergency.

“Those girls are going to get away with it because they are minors - while I’m going through hell.”

Jayaweera, who works in healthcare, now has to walk for about an hour to and from work in the dark, which makes her feel unsafe.

“Where is justice in it for me?” she asked.

The theft has resulted in a lot of psychological and financial stress for Jayaweera, who emigrated to New Zealand from Sri Lanka.

Tears rolled down her face, days later, when talking about the impact the theft of her car has had on her.

“I live alone with no family here in New Zealand. After being through a lot in Sri Lanka I came to New Zealand to have a decent, safe life because New Zealand is meant to be one of the safest countries in the world.”

Luckily, her car, which she bought in 2019 for $11,000, was insured, so she is looking forward to getting a new one.

Maheshika Jayaweera in happier times when she bought her first car.

Jayaweera, who has written a seven-page victim impact statement, hopes the girls will not re-offend but thinks they probably will.

“No one can guarantee me they will not do it again. They face no consequences. I feel the system has failed me. All I’m asking for is justice. No excuses can justify what I’m going through mentally and financially.”

When she first came to New Zealand on a work visa five years ago, Jayaweera only had $100 to her name and worked 120 hours each fortnight without taking any holidays until she could afford the car, and she said it was all she had.

“Now I have nothing.”

A police spokesperson said the officer in charge of the case’s initial file spoke with and took a statement from Jayaweera at her home, and outlined the process going forward.

The officer advised Jayaweera that two youths had been arrested in relation to the incident, and charged with burglary and with unlawfully taking a vehicle.

He said that the Youth Aid team were working on the case and that process was ongoing.

“The victim was advised that the Youth Aid team would be in touch with her once they had a confirmed outcome of the process.

“Police can’t put a specific timeline on this at this time.”