The Whangarei police youth crime unit's Sergeant Dan Cleaver, who headed the operation, said high school principals backed the intensive blitz as some schools reported up to 30 per cent of their students being truant per day.
"We did notice over the last week or so, a massive increase in the number of passes. Which was the aim so we know and the schools know where the kids are and what they are doing.
"The pressure will stay on. Kids can still expect to get picked up if they are wandering the streets," Mr Cleaver said.
Five fashion stores in the CBD had been suffering a large amount of stock being taken by thieves prior to the blitz.
During the operation, eight shoplifting offences were reported to police from five businesses usually targeted by teens.
Prior to that about five shoplifting offences a week from the five businesses were recorded by police.
"We knew truanting was contributing to shoplifting."
He also said parents needed to take responsibility and know where their children were.
"Some parents were horrified to find their kids were bunking."
As part of the operation, police were joined by members of the Whangarei Community Patrol, Maori Wardens and the Whangarei District Council's CitySafe. Teams targeted spots where students were known to congregate if not in class. That included the railway tracks running parallel to sports fields off Cross St, and around the central city.
With school holidays underway Mr Cleaver cautioned home owners to be vigilant around home security and locking cars and keeping valuable out of sight.