Rod Beare thought nothing of it when there was a knock on his front door about 10.30pm.
Cambridge News 6 February 2025
Somebody must need help, he thought, and sure enough it was a young man who said he had run out of petrol and asking for a lift to a nearby petrol station.
They got into Rod’s Toyota Ipsum with its distinctive number plate – OB1 OB2 – and headed into town. But within minutes, Rod felt something pressed to his throat.
“He told me to pull over or he would cut my throat. I thought it was a knife.
“Oh my God, I just fell out. The car was still moving. The guy jumped into the driver’s seat and drove off.”
Rod and Judy Beare
It was Sunday January 19. Rod and his wife Judy – who was snoozing in her chair – had been watching Big Bash League from Australia on the television when the man knocked on the door.
“I went to the door, and it was a young chap,” said Rod.
“He said ‘I’m really sorry to bother you this time of night but I’ve run out of petrol’.”
He let him into the house. Judy woke with a start seeing the man standing in front of her. He was nicely dressed, she recalls, smart shorts and a top but smelt heavily of alcohol.
“I just thought it was somebody maybe from next door or whatever,” said Judy.
“If I saw him again, I don’t think I’d recognise him. You know what it’s like when you wake up like that.”
The Toyota Ipsum with its distinctive licence plate.
The man asked if he could use Rod’s mobile phone to ring his auntie, which he did acknowledging now that his family and friends have since asked him if his middle name is ‘Muggins’.
“I’m just one of those trusting people,” said Rod.
The couple, both 76, moved to Cambridge from Auckland seven years ago to be closer to their daughter and grandchildren thinking they would get a quiet retirement in a safer community.
“So anyway, they went away in Rod’s car, and he left his drink bottle sitting out there on the doorstep,” said Judy.
Within minutes Rod was back, shaking and breathless, and told Judy to ring the police because the guy had put a knife to his throat and taken their car.
The police came, recovered the drink bottle to test it, took fingerprints, checked the number on the cell phone – which was not a valid one – and interviewed the couple and neighbours. They reported that earlier in the night they had noticed a car out on the road with a flickering light, like a cigarette lighter going off and on.
Police told them people were phoning in from Hamilton with reports the couple’s car – with its distinctive number plate – had been seen hooning around the city. The plate was a gift from their son-in-law and is not a Star Wars reference – OB stands for “old bastard”.
They have had the car for nine years and had just paid for a 12 month warrant of fitness. The registration is valid until August. It had half a tank of petrol, and the insurance company direct debit came out the next day.
Insurance has paid out but with a $400 excess and current value, it does not give them much to pay for a replacement. They have their eye on a used car, a Suzuki Swift or Honda Fit.
They are looking at getting CCTV cameras in, but they are not sure whether the landlord will allow it, and they fear if The News reveals where they live, that others will try the same thing to them and/or their neighbours.
Rod’s faith and trust in people has been severely dented.
He worked in Waitakere Hospital’s Emergency Department in reception for years and Judy was a security officer at a timber company, so they have seen the best and worst of people.
“No-one’s going to get help from me again. That’s it,” said Rod.
Police are appealing to the public for further information using the reference number 250120/7559.
Rod pointing to his neck where the robber threatened to stab him and Judy Beare
