Christchurch thieves target Ford Courier pick-ups: 19 utes stolen in six months

Old Ford Courier pick-ups appear to be hot property for thieves in Canterbury.

In the past six months, 19 utes built between 2000 and 2006 have been stolen in the region.

Burnside resident Tony Chandler had his 2002 Courier stolen from outside his Chateau Drive home in broad daylight on September 15.

Security footage taken from a camera on his property shows a white vehicle pull up outside his home.

Ten minutes later his Courier, which was parked on the road, is driven off and the white vehicle follows.

Chandler was not home when the vehicle was stolen.

He said the utes are popular with boy racers because they are rear-wheel-drives, ideal for burn-outs and “they last forever”.

But he thinks an organised crime ring stealing the vehicles for parts is the most likely scenario.

“My supposing is that there’s an organised crime ring and they’re basically stripping these vehicles down and either re-registering them as recovered vehicles or selling parts.”

Police say they don’t see the thefts as a major issue as it amounts to less than one being stolen a week.