A man has been arrested following the theft of a car at Mount Gambier last week. Police allege that about 6.50am on Thursday a man pulled into a service station on O’Leary Road and left the keys in his black 2009 Holden station wagon, SA registration S363ACC, as he went in the store.

At this time, a white Holden station wagon bearing Victorian registration plates had also pulled into the service station. While the victim was in the store, a man from the white Holden station wagon got into the victim’s black Holden and drove off.

The white Holden followed behind and both vehicles were last seen travelling east on Jubilee Highway. Following an investigation, the suspect was arrested on Thursday afternoon and charged with illegal use of a motor vehicle.

The 35-year-old Victorian man appeared in the Mount Gambier Magistrates Court on Friday. As a result of information from the public, Millicent police recovered the stolen car in forest east of Rocky Camp on Sunday afternoon. The car has been returned to its owner.