Theft backfires after stolen car’s owner spots thief driving his vehicle during morning run

The owner of a stolen car was out for his morning jog when he encountered the familiar sight of his vehicle that had hours earlier been taken from his home.

A man’s overnight theft of a car has spectacularly backfired after he was photographed in the vehicle the following day by its owner.

Daniel Smith was out for his morning jog on Thursday when he spotted the car that had just hours earlier been stolen from his home in Takanini, a suburb of Auckland, New Zealand.

The car was being driven through the same neighbourhood it had been taken from – an issue the burglar seemingly didn’t consider before executing his heist.

Mr Smith captured a photo of a man behind the wheel, who stared directly into his camera for the snap, and sent it to the local police.

He also asked locals to keep their eyes out for his car in a post to Facebook.

A car thief has made the embarrassing error in his attempt to get away with a new set of wheels. Picture: Facebook

“My car was stolen from Keywella Drive between 11pm and 6am last night. These clever people decided to stay around Conifer with the stolen car and drove past me on my morning run,” he wrote.

Mr Smith asked members of the community to get in touch if they recognised the driver.

“If anyone knows him please let me know, there are some fine police officers that want to say hi. Be vigilant out there everyone,” he wrote.

Dozens of people were bemused at the thief remaining in the neighbourhood with the stolen car.

“But why would you drive it around casually in the area you stole it from? No brains and an a**hole,” one wrote in a comment to the post.

“Honestly that is priceless! What a bloody egg,” another said.

Mr Smith said it was obvious the man saw him take a photo, so suspected that he may have since dumped his car somewhere out of concern for being found out.

“I expect them to ditch it now that I’ve seen them,” he wrote.

Someone else pointed out how comically unbelievable it was that the driver was using the car as thought it belonged to him.

“It’s the driving around in the car like it’s his for me,” they wrote.

Originally published as Theft backfires after stolen car’s owner spots thief driving his vehicle during morning run