Stolen vehicle that had GPS tracker fitted spiked by police near Napier, youths arrested

A vehicle was spiked on SH5 near Eskdale this morning. Pictured is a stretch of SH5 in that area. Photo / Warren Buckland

Three teenagers, aged 14, 15, and 16, were apprehended after a stolen car was forced to stop when it became immobile after hitting spikes laid by police on a rural road west of Napier today.

A car had been reported as driving erratically on State Highway 2 between Tangoio and Bay View between 7am and 7.30am.

Police learned the Toyota had been reported stolen from Gisborne overnight, and Acting Senior Sergeant Scott Munro said It “sped away” when spotted by police patrols.

But, fitted with a GPS tracker, it was followed by patrols at a safe distance while officers were placed at wider cordons, leading to the vehicle being “successfully spiked” on a rural road west of Napier and heading towards Taupō.

Munro said the vehicle was driven on its rims until it became “undriveable” and eventually stopped, and the youths were arrested and taken into custody.

No one was injured, said Munro, adding police take fleeing driver incidents “very seriously”.

“In the event we do not pursue at the time due to safety concerns, we make extensive follow-up inquiries to hold those responsible to account,” he said. “In this case, we were fortunate the vehicle had a tracking device.”

All three youths face a variety of charges, including one for breaching bail conditions.

Inquiries are under way about two other vehicles stolen in Gisborne at around the same time as the Toyota, one on which was also recovered today.