Auckland collector Phillip Taylor has lost around 20 percent of his rare Matchbox car collection—built over two decades and valued at roughly $30,000—after thieves accessed his Mt Eden storage unit while he was overseas, allegedly exploiting unsecured wire mesh above the lockers.
About 140 near-mint items were taken from his rented Kennard’s self-storage unit, including several irreplaceable models worth up to $2,000 each, with Taylor telling legacy media the theft occurred without forced entry and in an area lacking CCTV coverage.
His insurer initially rejected the claim after being told there was no forced entry, but reversed the decision after Taylor provided photographic evidence of the loose mesh, paying out 50 percent of the replacement value.
Police confirmed the case was filed due to a lack of viable leads, while Kennards Self Storage said security risks can never be fully eliminated.
Image credit: Roman Davydko
