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• Journalist Wilhelmina Shrimpton began investigating after her car was sideswiped in Kingsland.
• Shrimpton highlighted the need for compulsory third party vehicle insurance in New Zealand.
• She has identified the car involved as a Toyota Prius and is moving towards a resolution.

Auckland-based journalist  has utilised her broadcasting skills on social media to find the person who sideswiped her car over the weekend.

Shrimpton told the Herald her experience makes a “really great case” for why New Zealand needs, at minimum, compulsory 

Shrimpton was out for dinner with her fiance and friends in  on the night of April 19. After dining at the restaurant over a few hours, the pair found someone had sideswiped her SUV while it was parked on New North Road.

The person left a note with only a phone number attached, and after calling, Shrimpton was told they didn’t have insurance.

Shrimpton said they failed to give further information and stopped answering calls on the night, saying they’d text their details instead.

Although she was angry about the damage, Shrimpton told the Herald she’d woken up the next morning and decided to take matters into her own hands, all the while having a bit of fun along the way.

Wilhelmina Shrimpton's car was sideswiped in Kingsland on April 19. Photo / Supplied

Drawing on her broadcasting experience at ��һ�ǿ����� and ��һ�ǿ�����hub, Shrimpton got in front of the camera on Instagram as she went back “to the scene of the crime” to door-knock homes and businesses and look for clues.

“It was between 7.30pm and 11pm last night that the alleged offender smashed into the side ... of my CX5,” Shrimpton said in the video, collecting a piece of her car from the road as “leftover evidence from last night’s collision”.

With her fiance as cameraman, Shrimpton joked that the alleged car-hitter had “messed with the wrong reporter”.

But while their quest for CCTV footage of the incident was yet to be successful, a “Good Samaritan” had posted about the crash on the Kingsland community Facebook page at 8.43pm on April 19.

After contacting them, Shrimpton was given a number plate, which allowed her to identify the car as a .

“If any of you at all see a Toyota Prius driving around Auckland, looking a little bit scratched up on the front left ... definitely holler at your girl,” Shrimpton said on Instagram.

A witness to the crash was able to pass on the driver's number plate after Shrimpton found their post. Photo / Facebook

Although they’ve been hesitant to give details, Shrimpton said they’re slowly making progress with the person on finding a resolution.

During a 20-minute phone call last night, the person told Shrimpton they would pay off the excess to her insurance claim.

The Kiwi broadcaster told the Herald the ordeal has highlighted just how much New Zealanders need better insurance protections to feel safe and drive confidently on the roads.

While it’s a legal requirement in countries like the United States and the United Kingdom, New Zealand has never made vehicle insurance compulsory, largely as  covers the injury-related side of costs.

Shrimpton explained how third party insurance is compulsory in Australia for all registered vehicles to ensure both sides are protected and time isn’t wasted.

Despite all the trouble, Shrimpton enjoyed making light out of the situation and talking to people who loved seeing her return to their screens.

“When life gives you lemons, make a G&T and have a laugh.”

Tom Rose is an Auckland-based journalist who covers breaking news, specialising in lifestyle, entertainment and travel. He joined the Herald in 2023.