A teenager ran to his neighbour's house for help when he found burglars wielding weapons breaking into his home yesterday.
Seven police cars, dog handlers and detectives swooped on a Kaimai Range property about 12.30pm.
They found a group of young people believed to have been using the Wairoa River, which flows past the State Highway 29 home near Poripori Rd, to access the property.
Acting Senior Sergeant Dan Roser said responding police units also located a van with five teenage male occupants at the entrance to a Wairoa river access track.
The home owner returned to the property about 1.15pm having just checked on his son who remained at the neighbour's place where he fled to.
The father said he had been at work when he received a call from his 17-year-old son explaining what had happened.
"My son was at home sick when someone forced themselves into the house."
The father said his son was "alright".
"He's a bit shaken up," he said.
"He took off to the neighbours and called police. He did the right thing."
The group of five youths were taken by police back into Tauranga.
Officers wearing overalls and latex gloves stayed behind to survey the scene.
A local resident who would not be named said he noticed all of the cars when he went to get his mail.
"I was wondering what would have happened here. I was surprised.
"We often get police cars parked here catching speeders but this is pretty rare."
Two 15-year-old males from Hamilton were charged with aggravated burglary. They will both appear in Tauranga Youth Court today.
Aggravated burglary is used when a weapon or threatening behaviour is allegedly involved in the incident.
Another 15-year-old boy was arrested overnight after a break-in at a Te Puke commercial property.
Senior Sergeant Carl Purcell said this morning a worker at the sawmill noticed suspicious activity about 3am and called police.
Dogs were used to track a trace for about an hour, leading to the 15-year-old at his Te Puke home.
Mr Purcell said spray cans were stolen from the property and used in tagging.
The 15-year-old was charged with burglary and wilful damage.
He will also appear in Tauranga Youth Court today.
