KEY POINTS:
Money was withdrawn from the bank account of missing Hastings man Cameron Dormer in Waihi, shortly before his car was torched at nearby Katikati, police revealed today.
Police hold grave fears for the safety of Mr Dormer who has been missing since leaving his Hastings home on Saturday to run errands.
Mr Dormer sent a text message to his partner at 3.30pm last Saturday saying he was being followed by another car and would take down its registration number.
Later that night his 1998 Honda Accord sedan was found burnt out more than 300km away near Katikati in the Bay of Plenty.
Hastings police this afternoon appealed to the public to report any sightings of the car during its trip from Hastings to Katikati, 35km northwest of Tauranga.
They are hoping its distinctive all-white colour, including white hubcaps, might be remembered by other motorists.
The 25 year-old man, who moved with his partner to Hastings from New Plymouth about three years ago, was last seen at 3pm on Saturday when he left to do some errands. At 3.30pm he texted his partner to say he was being followed and he intended to stop outside as fish and chip shop and take down the registration number.
Detective Sergeant Mike Foster said the car was caught on closed-circuit TV at Taupo later in the afternoon. Later still it was found burnt out at Katikati.
He said police now held grave fears for Mr Dormer's safety but didn't believe his disappearance was drug-related.
The Honda Accord was the missing man's pride and joy and there was no reason for him to torch it.
Mr Foster said an undisclosed amount of money with withdrawn from one of his bank accounts at an A™ machine in Waihi about 8pm but the account was not emptied. The car was set alight not long after the money was withdrawn.
Police said they had been getting help from Telecom regarding Mr Dormer's mobile phone records. His mobile phone was switched off at 6pm on Saturday.
They did not know which route the car took to Katikati or whether it stopped for petrol on the way. Service station security camera footage was being checked.
Mr Foster said the car was driven to Katikati in daylight hours and anyone who recalled seeing it should contact Hastings police.
- NZPA
