Raglan car fire: Youths arrested after burnouts, attempted theft, antisocial behaviour

Police have arrested seven young people after reports of burnouts, attempted theft, and a car fire in Raglan last night.

Police have arrested seven young people after reports of burnouts, attempted theft, and a car fire in Raglan last night.

Hamilton city area commander Inspector Andrea McBeth said police received reports of a suspected stolen vehicle doing burnouts on Riria Kereopa Memorial Drive at 2.50am.

“The occupants then reportedly attempted to steal a vehicle from an address on Manukau Road a short time later,” McBeth said.

“Police from both western Waikato and Hamilton city responded, locating the vehicles leaving Raglan.”

The drivers did not stop despite police signalling that they should.

“No pursuit was initiated, instead police maintained long-range observations of the vehicles,” McBeth said.

“Tyre-deflation devices were successfully deployed on both vehicles at Main Rd and a second time at Mangakino Rd.”

McBeth said one vehicle was abandoned on Mangakino Rd or State Highway 23 and the second vehicle continued to Waitetuna Valley Rd where it was also abandoned.

“All occupants were arrested,” McBeth said.

A young person is due to appear in the Hamilton Youth Court in due course on charges of unlawfully taking a motor-vehicle and failing to stop for police.

The remaining six young people have been referred to Youth Services.

“In a separate incident a couple of hours later, a vehicle was allegedly set on fire down a bank at Wainui Rd, which spread to surrounding scrub,” McBeth said.

“The fire was extinguished later that morning, and inquiries are ongoing to determine if the incidents are linked.”

McBeth commended the officers involved in the initial response.

“It was a well-executed plan by officers from two areas within the Waikato district,” McBeth said.

“We understand this activity is incredibly frustrating for the community, and we will continue to work hard to identify and arrest those involved.”

McBeth said anyone who witnessed suspicious activity should get in touch with police on 111 if it’s happening now or on 105 either online or over the phone if it is after the fact.