But the little truck that was the centre of a very slow getaway last week is back in its owners' safe hands, and could be back on the road before long.
The 1986 Nissan Atlas was stolen by two men who crashed it through the locked gates of Barry Dell Plumbing last Tuesday, then took a vehicle that could scarcely manage 80kmh to Christchurch.
Before that, the men who stole it mistakenly filled the petrol-driven truck with diesel, before dumping the fuel on a North Dunedin street.
The truck was found last Thursday, abandoned on a Christchurch street, and owners Liz and Barry Carmichael had it towed back to Dunedin.
Little Sucker (there is a truck named Big Sucker at the Carmichaels' plumbing business) cut a forlorn figure at Tony Johnston Panel Beating yesterday.
Its lock had been damaged, beads of glass from its broken window lay shattered on the floor of the cab, and the steering column cover was smashed from efforts to hot-wire the vehicle.
Sign-writing had been scratched off panels, and a halfhearted attempt had been made to spray-paint the tank grey.
Bizarrely, tape had been used to stop bolts holding the tank to the frame from being sprayed.
''My baby's been violated,'' Mrs Carmichael said.
The truck, which was ''like a staff member'', would not be started until a mechanic checked it.
The couple would have to go through an insurance process before deciding its future, but she hoped it would be back on the road soon.
''It's our little cutie,'' she said.
Little Sucker was also useful for getting into tight spaces to access sumps.
If it did return to duty, the truck would be repainted in its blue and gold Otago colours.
