Melbourne grandfather’s car used by thieves to ram-raid Adelaide hotel

Thieves have used a holidaying Melbourne grandfather’s car to ram-raid a hotel and steal a cigarette machine before dumping the vehicle in Adelaide's River Torrens.

About 4.40am today, two hooded suspects were caught on CCTV ram-raiding a hotel on Phillis Street in the Adelaide suburb of Maylands.

The video shows them lifting a cigarette machine on to the roof of a white Subaru Impreza before driving away.

A pair of tyre tracks led a member of public to later find the car, disposed of in water off Holton Court in St Peters.

Police assisted with the recovery of the car, which belonged to 78-year-old Melbourne grandfather Barry Paul.

Mr Paul said he had driven to Adelaide to visit his family this weekend and was shocked to find it missing this morning.

He estimates he invested $4000 into getting the uninsured car roadworthy.

“That’s money down the drain,” he told 9NEWS.

One of the suspects is about 185cm tall with a solid build, and was wearing an Everlast hooded top and canvas-type work pants at the time of the raid, police said.

The other is about 180cm tall with a smaller build, and was wearing a light-coloured jacket at the time.

A clean up at Maylands Hotel is now underway and police investigations are ongoing.

Anyone with information is urged to contact Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000.