Police searching for thieves who stole unconscious car crash victim's wallet

Police are hunting a man shown in CCTV footage, after a woman's belongings were stolen as she lay seriously injured in a crashed car.

Shevaughn Johnstone, 39, collided with a truck in Papakura and had to be cut from her vehicle. As she received medical attention, three thieves took her wallet and phone.

"Whilst she was receiving medical attention, a person or persons removed her wallet and phone from her car," inspector Tony Wakelin says.

"A credit card from the wallet was fraudulently used on eight occasions later that day."

Police have confirmed to NZME they are investigating CCTV footage of a man, who is thought to have then used her credit card.

Ms Johnstone's partner, Murray Howell, posted an account of the ordeal on Facebook, appealing for information on the "piece of true scum" who took advantage of her as she was "bleeding out".

"Shevaughn Johnstone was involved in a very serious head on accident with a truck, on Cosgrave Rd," Mr Howell wrote.

Mr Howell says it is "totally beyond belief".

"We are on a very busy road at a major accident... with her bleeding out and semiconscious."

Ms Johnstone's discarded wallet was later recovered, but was missing cash and a debit card, which was later used on a "shopping spree", until there were no funds left. Police are investigating CCTV footage, which shows a man later using a card at a petrol station.

Shevaughn Johnstone had to be cut from her vehicle after the crash.
Shevaughn Johnstone had to be cut from her vehicle after the crash. Photo credit: Facebook / Murray Howell

Mr Howell also later tracked down her iPhone, discarded in a bush.

"It had over 50 missed calls, some 30 from me over the period of 1:30 - 3:00pm trying to locate [Ms Johnstone] as I was sitting at Middlemore myself waiting on her.

"It would have been constantly ringing in your hand, each time showing a photo of myself and my daughter.

"If I had lost that phone and lost Shevaughn that day you would have stolen more from us that you ever could ever comprehend.

"The sentimental value of the messages, photos to us are priceless and you took them from her when your human instinct if you had any should have been one of help."

Police are following strong lines of enquiry and investigating CCTV footage.

In a similar incident only two weeks ago, a Waihi man had his wallet stolen as he lay dying on the street after suffering an aneurysm.

Police say they detained a 24-year-old Napier man over the offence on Friday morning, but the wallet was not recovered.

Anyone with information is asked to please Papakura police on (09) 295 0200, or anonymously on Crimestoppers 0800 555 111.

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