POLICE have praised a local woman after her quick-thinking actions led to the recovery of her stolen car.

After reporting her vehicle stolen late on Tuesday afternoon, Kylie Turner was amazed to see it being driven around Mittagong a short time later whilst being dropped home by a friend.

While in contact with police on her mobile telephone, 27-year-old Miss Turner tracked the suspect's movements before managing to direct highway patrol officers to the offender's whereabouts, when a successful arrest was made.

Further police inquiries have linked the 20-year-old unemployed Mittagong man to 13 other motor vehicle thefts - mostly in the Mittagong area in recent weeks.

He was refused bail and held overnight in police custody before appearing at Picton Local Court on Wednesday when his case was adjourned until April 2 at Moss Vale Local Court.

Miss Turner said: "I couldn't believe it when they passed my car - which isn't hard to miss - so soon after I reported it stolen.

"I remember saying to my friend, 'There goes my car, whatever you do don't let it go'.

"I was determined not to let them get away with it and I think I was just running on pure adrenaline when I later gave chase on foot.

"The police said they must have been driving it around all day but I'm surprised they drove it for so long because I had no oil in the car and I was due to top it up later that evening".

Miss Turner initially reported her distinctive bright yellow coloured Camry station wagon as stolen to police at around 5.30pm on Tuesday night from Bowral Railway Station.

A few minutes later having been collected by a friend, she was stunned to see the recently reported stolen vehicle pass them in Bessemer Street, Mittagong.

Discreetly following the movements of her stolen vehicle from a safe distance, Miss Turner again telephoned Bowral Police and was able to talk an officer through its journey, who relayed the information to the nearby Mittagong Highway Patrol.