The car-stealing efforts of four Far North youth are over after allegedly being caught in the act by police last week.
More than 1000 vehicles are stolen in Northland every year, but police have caught a few Far North youths they believe responsible for some of those thefts, and are thanking the public for their help.
In two separate incidents last week, police arrested three youths on an alleged car-theft spree, then another youth who allegedly carried out several such thefts, including stealing cars from workers at Kawakawa Hospital.
Police have halted an offender’s crime spree across some Far North communities, successfully remanding him in custody on a number of charges.
Northland Police had been making inquiries to locate the 17-year-old after being notified he was breaching electronically monitored bail (EM bail) on May 3.
After inquiries were previously unsuccessful, he was taken into custody last Thursday morning after diligent work by local police and the community.
Kaikohe area prevention manager, Acting Senior Sergeant Greg Johnson, said the accused was on EM bail at a Taheke address on for unrelated active charges.
“However on May 3, police were alerted that he had let the battery of his electronically monitored tracker go flat. Police then received a report of a vehicle being broken into between 7pm on May 9 and 2pm on May 10.
“The victim in this matter has had her vehicle parked on Gillies St, Kawakawa and when she returned has found that it was entered via the driver’s door, with the ignition destroyed.”
Acting Senior Sergeant Johnson says on the same day, another vehicle was stolen from the Bay of Islands Hospital carpark, in Kawakawa.
He says between May 14-15 the accused alleged committed a further six offences in the Kawakawa and Taheke areas.
“Then on Wednesday afternoon police were notified of a stolen vehicle travelling on State Highway 1 on the wrong side of the road through Dome Forest,” Johnson said.
“Police signalled for the driver to stop, however, he has accelerated and driven recklessly, almost crashing into a number of other vehicles and causing motorists to take evasive action to avoid a crash.
“Due to the manner of driving the pursuit was abandoned, however, in the early hours of (Thursday) morning police caught the alleged offender attempting to steal a vehicle on Railway Rd, Kawakawa.”
Johnson said incidents like this are understandably concerning for the community and for police.
“These offenders are putting the wider community at risk when they flee from police. And targeting people’s modes of transport, and in hospital carparks, is a low act,” he said.
“Our message to those who choose to continue to engage in this offending is simple - you will be held to account.”
Police said a trio of youths got more than they bargained for after being disturbed in the act in Kerikeri last Tuesday evening.
Police responded quickly to reports of a group of three allegedly breaking into a vehicle in a carpark on Aranga Rd around 5.20pm.
Vehicle thefts are a major problem in Northland.
Johnson said the group left the area on foot after being disturbed by a member of the public who had notified police.
“Due to the detailed description provided by the informant, and after reviewing available CCTV, police were soon making inquiries in the nearby area.”
A short time later, police received a second call from another member of the public regarding the same group allegedly breaking into another vehicle on Butler Rd.
“Police who were already responding to the initial reports were on scene and the group were soon located on Cannon Drive where they were arrested without incident,” Johnson said.
A 16-year-old has since been charged with unlawful taking of a motor vehicle as well as attempted unlawful taking of a motor vehicle. Two others, aged 12 and 13, have been referred to Youth Aid in relation to this incident.
Johnson said police are thankful for those in the community alerting them in a timely manner when they see something of concern.
“I would like to acknowledge both separate members of the public who reported seeing the group allegedly attempting to break into these vehicles, allowing us to quickly get on scene. It takes everyone working together to keep our communities safe, so I encourage everyone who sees something suspicious taking place to report it to us as soon as possible.”