Stolen boat found in Waikato field

How do you hide a two-tonne stolen catamaran from police?

Clearly, not by leaving it in the middle of a Huntly field.

The $100,000 catamaran was stolen from Palmerston North business Food Machinery Australasia at the weekend, but was found abandoned in an open field in north Waikato yesterday.

Palmerston North Constable Andrea Tyson said Huntly police investigated after seeing the catamaran being backed into the field by a "dodgy looking" car.

No-one has been arrested, but police are still looking for the car's driver.

Judi Jones, whose husband Alan built the boat, said she was pleased to hear it had been found.

"It's a very good result. We'll get it back and then we'll sort out having it locked away."

The 7.5-metre-long aluminium catamaran would be kept inside from now on, she said.

Mrs Jones believes the thieves, who broke into the Malden St engineering business yard to steal the catamaran, may have reached their intended destination if the boat trailer had not had a puncture. She had faith that police would track down the culprits.

- © Fairfax NZ News