Wanted teenage girl taunts police on Facebook with emoji

A teenage girl has taunted police on her wanted poster, giving her pursuers the thumbs up.

Southland Police posted a mugshot and brief description of 17-year-old Lana Maree Tutty on its Facebook page this afternoon.

The 170cm tall Tutty was quick to reply to her chasers, commenting on the social media platform with nothing but a cheeky thumbs up icon.

Tutty's short response proved popular with fellow Facebook users, and was liked more than 80 times.

Some users offered their advice and pleaded with Tutty to hand herself in, while another commented "she hides better then osama if they still looking for this kid [sic]".