Facebook sleuths track down farmer’s stolen LandCruiser 160 miles away in just 48 hours
'We had pretty much resigned ourselves to the fact that it's gone and we're never going to see that ute again.'
A quiet harvest workday took a sudden, frantic turn when a farmer’s essential V8 Land Cruiser mysteriously vanished straight out of his field. In broad daylight, with no cover, a bold thief drove off with the utility truck, sparking a high-stakes search that eventually crossed state lines, as reported by ABC News on November 4, 2026.
Gone in broad daylight
In mid-harvest in Brocklesby, New South Wales, farmer Matt Ballentine realized his white 2018 Toyota LandCruiser V8 GXL 79 series dual-cab was gone. He was working in the paddock when the vehicle, loaded with an air compressor, fuel pods, tools, and an attached comb trailer, was snatched right from under his nose. His wife, Shayne Ballentine, recalled the sheer frustration of that moment, stating, "[Matt] was absolutely furious. He was up in the paddock on the windrower when it was taken." As hours passed, "We had pretty much resigned ourselves to the fact that it's gone and all the equipment is gone and we're never going to see that ute again," Ms. Ballentine added. But with a little hope, the family trusted the internet and shared their situation with the Facebook community.
Facebook to the rescue
The turning point came when Todd Gelletly, owner of Gelletly Red Gum Firewood in Barham, noticed a vehicle driving erratically near his property. He checked his security footage and immediately posted a screenshot of the suspicious truck to Facebook to investigate. "Within about five minutes of the post going up, the owners were on the phone saying, 'That's our ute. It was stolen yesterday,'" Gelletly shared. That single post blew up, drawing over 260,000 views and triggering a flood of community sightings.
"Then the next morning the phone just went crazy," Gelletly said. "Within an hour we had a really heavy police presence in a small little town like Koondrook, and that obviously led to the detection and the arrest of the offender and the recovery of the ute". Officers apprehended a 41-year-old suspect in Koondrook, Victoria, about 160 miles (260 kilometers) away from the farm, recovering the vehicle just 48 hours after it disappeared. Ballentine was lucky, but such thefts are quite common. According to auto theft data compiled by the National Insurance Crime Bureau, 659.9 thousand vehicles have been stolen in 2025. Yet, despite these fluctuating theft percentages, everyday victims are increasingly turning away from traditional channels and looking toward crowdsourced help.
'So glad it was located'
The online response was swift, with social media users expressing outrage over the theft while celebrating the power of community teamwork. Many shared sympathy for the victim, voicing frustration over criminals targeting hard-working farmers and taking essential equipment during crucial work seasons. @june.collard.5 shared her empathy, writing, "I feel for the farmer; I know firsthand what this feels like. Why do some people think they have a God given right to take things that they have not worked for." Meanwhile, @rosemary.davis.182940 commented, "Great community working together."
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