Hot on Facebook

Guy Buys $123 Safe on eBay, Finds $26,000 Inside Seller tries to get half the cash back, fails »

Toddler Buys $20K Digger Online

Girl, 3, wins auction for heavy machinery while parents are sleeping

By Rob Quinn, Newser Staff

Posted May 22, 2009 7:41 AM CDT

(Newser) – A tech-savvy New Zealand 3-year-old bought a $20,000 piece of heavy machinery while her parents were sleeping, the Daily Telegraph reports. Pipi Quinland went to the family computer after waking up early, entered the online auction site TradeMe—her mom had logged on earlier—and won an auction for a Kobelco digger with a few clicks of the mouse.

"I saw an email from TradeMe saying I had won an auction," Pipi's mother said. "I'd been looking at bulk lots of lego for my son and I thought a digger must be in one of those toy sets. Then I saw the price and got the shock of my life." The sale has been canceled—and Pipi has been banned from using the computer on her own.

[Images (2)]

[Quotes (1)]

A Kobelco digger similar to the one briefly acquired by three-year-old Pipi Quinlan. (Flickr)

Pipi Quinlan's mother believes her daughter must have watched her using an online auction site and enjoyed looking at the pictures. (Flickr)

« Prev« Prev | Next »Next » Slideshow

She doesn't even like tractors. She's a real girlie girl—even when she goes fishing she wears frilly dresses.
- Pipi Quinlan's mother

« Prev« Prev | Next »Next » Slideshow

To report an error on this story, notify our editors.

More Newser Stories

14-Year-Old Youngest Ever Pro Golf Winner

Even crazier, Lydia Ko nearly won same tournament a year ago

(NEWSER) - Lydia Ko is just 14 years old, but that didn't stop her from becoming the youngest ever winner of a professional golf tournament earlier today, winning the New South Wales Open in New Zealand by four strokes, reports the AP . The previous record was held by Ryo Ishikawa, who won his first pro title at 15 years, eight months. The previous youngest woman was Amy Yang, who won at 16 years, seven months. It's pretty amazing,'' says the Korean-born Ko. "I don't really know what to say ... I'm really happy and to be part of history is like a miracle." More»

NZ Shoots 33 Whales It Couldn't Rescue

After 2 rescue attempts, officials say nothing more to do for restranded whales

(NEWSER) - The 33 pilot whales that beached themselves again on the New Zealand coast today have been shot, the AP reports, after conservation officials decided there was nothing more they could do for the creatures. About 99 whales were stranded Monday on a South Island spit notorious for whale beachings. Volunteers helped them back into the water, but the pod stranded again yesterday. Rescuers floated the whales into the ocean again, only for many of the surviving whales to beach a third time. More»

World's Biggest Potheads Live In...

...Australia, New Zealand, where 15% of residents used marijuana in 2009

(NEWSER) - It appears that our friends from Down Under are in fact up higher than North Americans—a new study shows that Australians and New Zealanders are the world's top pot smokers, reports the Los Angeles Times . The Lancet found that 15% of Aussies and Kiwis ages 15-64 used some form of marijuana in 2009, as opposed to 11% of North Americans, and just 2.5% of people in Asia. Australians and New Zealanders also are the top users of amphetamines. More»

NZ Shipwreck Breaks Apart, Threatens New Oil Spill

Nearly 400 tons of oil could leak as storms pound wreck

(NEWSER) - A cargo ship that has been grounded off the New Zealand coast since October broke in two last night, spilling more debris and raising fears of further oil leakage, reports the AP . Nearly 400 tons of oil leaked into the ocean soon after the Rena ran aground, and 1,100 tons were removed from the ship soon after , but 385 tons still remained aboard. "While reports at this stage indicate there has not been a significant release of oil, with the Rena in its current fragile state, a further release is likely," said the commander of the New Zealand response team. More»

Hot Air Balloon Crash Kills 11

Disaster strikes in New Zealand

(AP) - A hot air balloon crashed and killed all 11 people aboard near a rural New Zealand town about 90 miles north of the capital of Wellington, officials said. Witnesses told local media of seeing 30-foot-high flames rising from the balloon's basket before it plummeted to the ground. Police don't know what went wrong yet. The stricken balloon hit power lines as it fell, causing electricity cuts in the local area for about 20 minutes. More»

NEWS FROM OUR PARTNERS

What is Newser?

Face it: there's too much news. At Newser, we choose the most thought-provoking and entertaining stories from hundreds of US and international sources and reduce them to a headline, picture, and two paragraphs. And we do it 24/7—you can come back morning, noon, night (and in between) for something new that matters. Read less, know more.

Learn more »

Partnering with: Slate

View Newser on the mobile website

Toddler Buys $20K Digger Online