‘Part of my personality’: Karen O’Leary’s beloved ute stolen in Wellington

Karen O’Leary’s ute is “part of the family” and has been for 10 years. Photo / Facebook: Eilish Wilson
Karen O’Leary is calling on the people of Wellington to help find her beloved ute, stolen from outside her Brooklyn home overnight.
The comedian, who starred as Officer O’Leary in the popular mockumentary TV series Wellington Paranormal, is pleading for the public’s help in tracking down the distinctive blue and pink Toyota Hilux.
O’Leary told the Herald the 1990 Hilux has been a part of the family, ever since she picked it up from Timaru with her late father about 10 years ago.
“I got home and parked my other car in front of my ute at about 10:15pm. I woke up this morning to take my son to school and I was like, ‘Where the bloody hell is my ute?’ It was gone,” the TV personality told the Herald.
“My son was getting quite worried about it this morning, and I said, ‘Don’t worry, it’s just a car’. I got home and I actually got a bit upset. I think it’s actually part of my personality.
“I’m known for the ute, I love the ute, I use it to help people out, I use it to drive to my gigs. It takes me everywhere, and I always feel so happy to be in it.”
In a post to the Facebook group Vic Deals on Wednesday morning, O’Leary’s partner, Eilish Wilson, urged fellow Wellingtonians to keep an eye out for the Hilux.
“On behalf of my partner, Officer O’Leary (Karen O’Leary),” the post began. “HELP!!! Last night someone decided they would steal my beloved Toyota Hilux. If you are cruising the streets of Wellington or anywhere for that matter and see it please contact me and/or the police.
“I love that ute and would dearly appreciate having it home,” it read, followed by the hashtags “#getkarensuteback” and “#bummer”.
O’Leary’s Hilux, licence plate PN6705, is blue with bright pink – “it’s hot, and it’s pink” – doors. It was last seen in Brooklyn, a suburb about 3km south of Wellington’s central business district, on Tuesday night.
“Me as myself and in roles, I’m all about keeping the community safe and looking after each other. I know there’s lots of worse things going on in the world and this is just a ute, but it’s a really special ute,” O’Leary said.
“I’ve been really chuffed by the positive comments [on the Facebook post]… there’s good people out there and hopefully they can find my ute. Or the person who stole my ute decides to become a good person and gives it back.”
At the time of writing there are no leads as to the ute’s whereabouts, but O’Leary is hopeful she’ll be reunited with her beloved car.
“In the scheme of things it’s not a biggie, [the police] have got it on their radar. Lucky it’s really distinctive – even if someone’s painted it, I’ll know that’s my ute,” she laughed.
“I’ll see it and be like, ‘Excuse me, get out of that car, because it’s mine’.”
O’Leary said friends and locals have suggested car theft is becoming more common in the area, but she is still surprised the thief chose to act on a “very out of the way” street.
“Maybe someone really needed a car, in which case, I hope they enjoy it,” she said.
A police spokesperson confirmed to the Herald: “At this stage there do not appear to be any significant lines of inquiry but if anyone has information that may help, please contact police.”
Recently, O’Leary co-starred as ‘community investigative reporter’ alongside former Newshub journalist Patrick Gower on Paddy Gower Has Issues, a position that secured her Best Entertainment Presenter at the New Zealand Film and Television Awards last year.
In 2022, O’Leary competed on Celebrity Treasure Island and raised $2500 for Wellington’s Mary Potter Hospice. She withdrew from the competition on day 20.