Woman hit with own sticks

An elderly Whangarei woman was bashed with her own walking sticks during a violent home invasion, police say.

One teenager has been arrested following the incident on Wednesday, and they are looking for another young man believed to have been involved.

Police allege the two teenagers forced their way into the Maunu Rd home of a 68-year-old woman around 10.15pm.

Detective Senior Sergeant Dene Begbie said the two assaulted the woman with her own walking sticks, before stealing several items from the property, including a car. The woman was taken to Whangarei Hospital with lacerations.

Police had intercepted the car with the pair in it on State Highway One near Portland soon after it was stolen, but after stopping briefly it had taken off at speed.

Officers had pursued the car for a short distance but abandoned the chase due to safety concerns over the speed and manner the car was being driven in.

Soon after the car was seen on the roundabout on State Highway One at Port Marsden Highway, before it was later found crashed into a fence along Marsden Bay Rd.

A police dog unit had tracked a 17-year-old youth who was arrested and charged with aggravated robbery, wounding with intent, unlawfully taking a vehicle and several driving offences. He has been remanded in custody to appear in the Whangarei District Court on September 1.

Mr Begbie said the woman - who received lacerations from the assault and was discharged from hospital yesterday - had yet to give a detailed description of the other intruder or items stolen from her home.

"Obviously it's traumatic for [her]," he said.

Inquiries would continue into locating the other young suspect, Mr Begbie said.

It was the second home invasion in Northland in the past two months.

On June 8, at about 5.30pm, five balaclava-clad intruders armed with a firearm and other weapons broke into a house in Tinopai, assaulting the occupants.

A youth ended up with both arms broken and a woman was left with a broken arm and a gash to a leg, but one of the occupants escaped during the assault and ran for help.

A 27-year-old man was located in Auckland earlier this month and charged with aggravated robbery over the home invasion, kidnapping, wounding with intent and aggravated burglary. The man has been remanded in custody and will appear in the Dargaville District Court on October 16.