$10,000 offered for utes return

NICKED: This 2008 Holden Commodore HSV Maloo was stolen during the Willowbank Powercruise at the weekend. Photo: supplied

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A MAN whose high-powered ute was stolen during the Powercruise event at Willowbank is offering a $10,000 reward for its safe return.

Former Ipswich resident Steve Austin said the slick black 2008 Holden Commodore HSV Maloo was taken while parked out the front of a room at the Willowbank Motel on Sunday morning.

He said he believed the thieves may have followed him there after watching the ute in action at the Powercruise event at Queensland Raceway at the weekend.

“I only got back to the room about midnight,” a shattered Mr Austin said.

“When I got up at 7am I couldn’t get out the front door because someone had tied it shut.”

When he eventually got outside Mr Austin realised the heavily modified ute – insured for more than $50,000 – had been stolen.

There were pieces of smashed window glass on the ground and the thieves had thrown the vehicle log books out before speeding off in the night.

The thieves got away with $1500 cash that was left in the centre console and a Powercruise show and shine trophy – which Mr Austin’s partner Merryn McDowell won with her Valliant Pacer – was left in the back.

“The wheels on this car were 22 inch Moz rims – worth about $11,000,” Mr Austin said.

“We’ve done a lot of other work to it – probably $40,000 worth all up.

“The way I see it, if I get it back and pay the $10,000 reward, I’m still $30,000 in front.”

The car was reportedly seen parked by the side of a road at Redbank on Sunday afternoon, but hasn’t been spotted since.

Mr Austin said he’d heard of at least two other cars being stolen from Powercruise at the weekend.

They included a 2009 Holden SS ute and a restored Datsun ute.

Mr Austin now lives and works on the Sunshine Coast but said he was a regular at Powercruise events staged at Willowbank.

“It’s the only place where you can get out on the track and race your mates legally,” he said.

“It hasn’t put me off coming back to Ipswich but I think next time I’ll be hiring out a secure garage to put my cars in.”

Anyone with information should contact Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000.

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Reward for stolen maloo