Police have issued a warning for people to take care before allowing others to test drive their vehicles, following a string of alleged thefts involving cars and motorbikes listed for sale on social media.
It comes after police received reports of cars and motorbikes allegedly being stolen under the guise of being taken for a test drive, Detective Senior Sergeant Kevin Tiernan said in a statement.
A man has since been arrested in the Weymouth area following an investigation launched earlier this year.
The 35-year-old is due to appear in the Manukau District Court on April 14 charged with 18 counts of theft of a motor vehicle.
“Police are conscious that these sorts of crimes can have create a lot of stress and worry for people," Tiernan said.
“Our investigation remains ongoing into further reports of cars and motorbikes being stolen so police cannot rule out the possibility of further charges being laid.”
Police are urging people to keep themselves safe and to use reputable sites to buy and sell goods online, Tiernan warned.
“Vendors should always take steps to verify the identity of would-be purchasers intending on taking a vehicle for a test drive."
He added that people should accompany anyone wanting to go for a test drive and to provide identification "where possible".
"If they refuse to provide ID or let you accompany them, then police suggest you do not engage with them further.”
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