-- and wrote it off in a crash.

The green Toyota Land Cruiser -- estimated to cost nearly $25,000 to replace -- went AWOL from Warwick Camp and was later found wrapped around a tree on South Shore Road.

And yesterday Regiment Adjutant Capt. Eddie Lamb promised if the culprit is caught, the Regiment will throw the book at him.

He said: "This is the first time anything like this has ever happened.

He admitted: "It's still a mystery how someone could get access to the keys.

"The Police have been informed and we are both carrying out investigations.'' Capt. Lamb said the identity of the thief was also a mystery -- but confirmed a soldier was the most likely culprit.

He added: "Somebody probably borrowed it without authority, had a crash and just panicked.'' Capt. Lamb said Regiment vehicles were kept in strict security, with the keys locked up when the trucks were not being used.

A new Toyota Land Cruiser for commercial use would set a private buyer back around $28,000. The Regiment, like the Fire Service, do not pay duty on their vehicles -- but a replacement would still cost them around $24,000.

He added: "The Regiment has been away for a month on annual camp which has prolonged our investigation. But we are still looking.'' The truck vanished from the Regiment's headquarters sometime on the night of Thursday, February 5. Police said that it appeared the truck, which was travelling towards Hamilton, failed to take the sharp left-hand on South Shore Road at the entrance to the Warwick Long Bay playground.

The truck careered across the road and smashed into a casuarina tree near the entrance to the playpark.

A Police spokesman said: "It appears the driver abandoned the vehicle after the accident and just walked away.'' The smashed-up Land Cruiser was found by Police in the early hours of the next morning and the Regiment was informed.

A Police spokesman said yesterday that the force's scenes-of-crime team had examined the truck and the inquiry was continuing.

He added: "The Regiment are making their own inquiries and will inform us if they find out who the driver was.

"It's an unusual crime -- I don't think we've ever had to deal with this kind of thing before. The matter is still very much under active investigation.'' CRIME CRM