8 Mar 2024

10yo among 7 youths arrested with stolen vehicles

3:05 pm on 8 March 2024
Police generic

When police arrived, both vehicles "fled at speed in different directions". Photo: RNZ / Richard Tindiller

A 10-year-old is among a group of youths accused of fleeing Auckland police in two stolen cars last night.

Auckland City East area prevention manager Inspector Rachel Dolheguy said police responded to reports of the cars travelling in tandem on a residential street in Pt England just before midnight.

When police arrived, both vehicles "fled at speed in different directions".

"Police units elected not to pursue, and the vehicles movements were tracked before the Police Air Support Unit was able to get overhead to provide further assistance. A short time later, both vehicles were located abandoned on Point England Road."

She says the occupants, aged between 10 and 16, abandoned the cars and a police dog handler found them at a nearby address.

All seven have been referred to Youth Aid.

"This was a great example of our policing teams working together to hold offenders to account," Dolheguy said.