A self-employed builder will be reunited with her beloved dog Sparky after he was stolen on Saturday.

Lydia Stewart was helping trim trees just outside her parent's St Martins home when her ute was taken, with Sparky and thousands of dollars' worth of tools in the back.

Stewart said the black ute was spotted an hour later on the outskirts of the city with its number plates bent and door panels damaged.

A sledgehammer with her name on it was then used to break into a Springs Junction service centre on the West Coast on Saturday night.

A sharp-eyed officer on Monday come to the rescue, spotting the ute parked up on the side of State Highway 6 in remote Owen River, more than 300km from where it had been taken.

Thankfully, Sparky was found safe and well inside.