The Aqua was stolen after 10pm on Good Friday. It was found abandoned in Hornby.
“They called and asked if I had my car, and went and checked, and it was gone,” she said.
“It did not surprise me that it had been stolen again.”
While the car has survived its previous three joyrides, it may be the end of the road this time.
Her insurance company has indicated it may be written off due to the damage to the front of the car, wheel, and ignition.
Tandon said the first two times the car was stolen, it was found abandoned. On the third occasion, police pulled it over in Lincoln and arrested the youths inside.
In recent years, Toyota Aquas have been the most stolen vehicle in New Zealand.
AMI Insurance data shows they are disproportionately targeted, with a theft rate nearly four times that of the country’s most insured vehicle, the Toyota Corolla.
AMI Insurance said it received more than 9000 vehicle theft and attempted theft claims in 2025.
For every 1000 insured Aquas, 54 had a theft claim, compared with 15 per 1000 Corollas.
Tandon's husband, Surinder, said it was frustrating each time the Aqua was stolen. The car’s insurance premium had increased, and they had to pay the excess.
“We don’t get any kind of compensation for that from the people who take the car,” he said.
Models with push-button start systems are generally less vulnerable.
Surinder said before the car was stolen this time, he was in the process of getting quotes to have the ignition switched from a key to a push button.
“I was in the process of getting switched over. They clearly knew what they were doing because my Toyota Camry, which was parked next to it, was not touched.”
A police spokesperson said inquiries into the latest theft are ongoing.
