Test drivers hit the road and never come back

Kevin Wardle (left) and Martin Harwood, of Autolink Cars, lost a black Skyline GTR to thieves. Photo / Sarah Ivey

Car dealers are being stung by thieves who pose as interested buyers but disappear with the vehicles after taking them on a test drive.

At least two car yards in Auckland have been hit recently by thieves who have driven off with vehicles valued at $20,000 and $25,000.

The drive-and-dash scam follows a reported rise in "eat-and-run" diners who flee without paying from restaurants, and petrol stations are stepping up measures to recover losses from petrol thieves.

"These are professional thieves, and unless they catch these guys such thefts are just going to increase," said Ishfaq Mohamad, who had a 2003 Nissan Fairlady stolen from his Carz and Carz yard in Otahuhu two weeksago.

"I have heard of at least three to four other yards who have had cars stolen by people using the same tactics."

He has offered a $1000 reward for any information that leads to the vehicle's recovery.

Mr Mohamad said the thieves used a fake driver's licence as security and came as a pair to test drive a two-seater car "so there wouldn't be any space for us to go with them".

He described the two men as ethnic Indians, between 25 and 30.

"They are really cool and know exactly what they are doing ... like they have been doing it a thousand times."

Mr Mohamad said this was the first time he had had a vehicle stolen from his yard in the nine years he has been in business.

The same thieves are believed to have struck three months earlier at Autolink Cars in Grey Lynn.

Manager Kevin Wardle said his yard lost a black 1989 Nissan Skyline GTR to thieves who used the same method, and believed they were the same people who struck at Carz and Carz because the same fake licence was used.

The thief came in as he was about to close the yard late on a Sunday and asked to test drive a car which had already been taken into the showroom.

"It is usual practice for one of us to go along for the drive, but he took off as we turned around to lock the showroom," Mr Wardle said.

"That was the last time any of us saw that car."

He said the stolen vehicle was a "popular choice" with boy racers.

In Sydney last week, a man test driving a 2009 silver Lexus brandished a gun at the seller, who was sitting beside him, and ordered him to get out before driving away.

Imported Motor Vehicle Industry Association chief executive David Vinsen said "theft by test driving" was rare in New Zealand.

"It does happen, but it's rare and really few and far between," he said.

"A majority of these would be by people who wanted to take the car for a joyride or as a prank."

He said recording the ID of a test driver and having a test drive notebook requesting personal details of the would-be buyer were measures sellers could take to reduce risk.

"But if it's a deliberate attempt to steal, then I guess it would be difficult to stop."