Teen steals four cars on South Island-wide joyride

A 14-year-old on an island-wide joyride went on a car stealing spree from Nelson all the way to Mosgiel over the weekend, police say.

Senior Sergeant Anthony Bond, of Dunedin, said police located the teen at an address in Murray St, Mosgiel at 10.55am on Sunday, ending a multi-car thieving trip he took this weekend.

The teen stole his first vehicle on Friday morning in Nelson where he had been staying temporarily.

He drove that vehicle to Cheviot in North Canterbury before dumping it and stealing a Mazda.

He then continued driving down to Waipiata in Central Otago where he dumped the Mazda in favour of a Mazda Demio.

From there, he drove over to Hyde and abandoned the Demio for a Toyota Hilux early on Sunday morning.

Police located the Toyota Hilux and the 14-year-old at an address in Murray St in Mosgiel.

The teen, who is from the Dunedin area, was charged with three charges of unlawfully taking a motor vehicle, and one charge of burglary and theft which related to a petrol drive-off that took place at some stage of his island-wide road trip.

The teen had a female associate with him during the trip, Senior Sergeant Bond said.

He was to appear in Dunedin Youth Court this morning.