A central Otago man is pleading for help after his ute was stolen with his two dogs inside.
Jake Nolan said he had only been out of his vehicle to visit a friend in the town of Ōmakau for a few minutes when he looked out the window and saw someone jump in and drive off.
The white Holden Colorado and his dogs were gone.
The dogs, aged five and nine, were a blue heeler named Nala and a black Huntaway cross named Jock.
"It's not a very good way to start the year, it's pretty devastating, I've had them since they were eight weeks old," Nolan told 1News.
"I'm not worried about the truck, I just want my dogs back."
Nolan shared a post to Facebook appealing for public help finding the ute and dogs.
"Please keep an eye out across the South Island, especially for the dogs as they are the main priority. White Holden Colorado with missing Holden badge on the back rego JKG185," he said in the post.
Nolan said he was blown away by the public's response to the post: "It's been unreal, I made the post yesterday and it's been shared over 2000 times."
Police confirmed the vehicle was stolen from the area at around 1pm yesterday.
Sergeant Regan Price said it was believed the vehicle is connected to an earlier burglary in Alexandra on January 3.
An different vehicle was used in the burglary and dumped near Ōmakau, before Nolan's vehicle was taken along with his dogs.
Price asked that anyone who witnessed the incident, has knowledge of the ute or dogs’ whereabouts, or has dashcam, mobile phone or CCTV footage in the Maniototo area that can assist, please get in touch.
Police can be contacted through 105 either online or over the phone using reference number 260103/4368.
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