Fourteen people, many of them youths, have been arrested after three separate incidents involving stolen vehicles across Auckland in the last 48 hours.
In one incident at about 2am today, a report was received by police involving a group of youths allegedly interfering with parked vehicles on Spinella Drive in Bayview.
Waitematā East Relieving Area Commander, Inspector Michael Rickards, said police deployed to the area and learned that two vehicles the group were travelling in were stolen.
“We did not initiate a pursuit but were soon able to deploy spikes successfully on one of the vehicles in Takapuna.
“This vehicle soon came to a stop where the two occupants fled on foot, but were quickly taken into custody,” he said.
The second stolen vehicle headed south where police sighted it again in Titirangi and initiated a pursuit.
Police said the driver attempted to hide the vehicle down a steep driveway, but lost control and it rolled down a small bank.
“Five occupants decamped and fled into the bush, but we were able to locate four and take them into custody.
Two were transported to Waitākere Hospital for medical attention,” Rickards said.
One offender has been charged and is before the Youth Court, the remainder have been referred to Youth Aid.
Four referred to youth aid after Mt Wellington incident
This followed another incident in Mt Wellington before midnight on Tuesday, when a person reported that their vehicle had been stolen.
Senior Sergeant Steve Albrey, Response Manager for Counties Manukau West, said police had received information from the victim that the vehicle was travelling south.
“The vehicle was tracked to Māngere, where it eventually came to a stop at an address in Ihumātao.
“Our staff cordoned off the area and located the stolen vehicle at the rear of the property.
“We took five youths into custody at the address without further incident. Four of the five were aged 13, and all have been referred to Youth Aid.”
Five stolen vehicles recovered in Forest Hill
Hours later, on the North Shore, another incident was reported at 3.30am.
A member of the public reported that a number of young people were parking vehicles near Becroft Park in Forrest Hill.
Counties Manukau South Area Commander, Inspector Joe Hunter, said a police unit attended and sighted another vehicle suspected of being stolen being driven towards the park.
“Upon seeing police, the driver has taken off at speed, but we didn’t pursue and tracked it south using traffic cameras as it exited the motorway at Takanini, where we successfully spiked its tyres.
“The driver has continued on rims along Great South Road, but the vehicle soon came to a complete stop,” he said.
Two 14-year-olds, and a 15-year-old were taken into custody.
“While we’ve had a successful and safe apprehension outcome, our thoughts are with the multiple victims affected by this group’s behaviour,” Hunter said.
Five other stolen vehicles were located in Forest Hill and recovered in connection to this third incident.
One offender has been charged and is before the Youth Court, the remainder have been referred to Youth Aid.