One of the cars attacked when teenagers vandalised 17 vehicles and a bedroom window. Photo / Supplied
Five teenagers arrested yesterday allegedly drove around Auckland on a six-hour vandalism rampage, causing more than $30,000 of damage to cars and property in some of the city's wealthiest suburbs.
Police say the group hurled rocks and bottles through 17 car windows and the window of a bedroom
where a woman and her child were sleeping.
Police believe there are more victims who have not yet contacted them because some crimes, such as vehicle damage, are not always reported.
Officers want anyone affected by such vandalism from 10pm on January 13 to about 4am the next day to contact them.
Sergeant Jason Lamont of Glen Innes police said the group - a 16-year-old and four 17-year-olds - were travelling in a white station wagon randomly targeting vehicles in Remuera, Newmarket, St Heliers, Kohimarama, Mission Bay, Orakei, Glendowie, Pakuranga, Half Moon Bay and Glen Innes.
The cost of damage to the vehicles ranged from a $230 rear quarter-window to $2000 each for two vehicles that had panel damage as well as smashed windows. Most of the vehicles had about $1200 of damage.
Most of the damage would be covered by insurance, Mr Lamont said, but some victims were "terribly upset".
"It's just the whole gravity of what these guys have done," he said. "And the inconvenience."
A Half Moon Bay woman and her baby were asleep when a rock smashed through their bedroom window and lodged in the blinds.
Mr Lamont did not know how close the two were to the window.
The arrested teens came from the suburbs affected, he said.
The rampage appeared to be opportunistic and the teenagers seemed have simply thought at the time that it would be fun.
Glen Innes and Onehunga police arrested the group yesterday.
Police had waited for a month to reveal the incident because they had to find the group and because it had taken a long time to collate details from 19 complainants, Mr Lamont said.
He would not say what led police to the group.
They will appear in the Auckland Youth Court on Thursday jointly facing 19 counts of criminal damage.
One of the teens was already known to police, having been dealt with by officers for a minor offence last year.
* Anyone with further information is asked to contact Sergeant Jason Lamont or the Glen Innes police on (09) 524-1910.
