Alleged vehicle thefts
Oamaru: Police are investigating a spate of alleged vehicle thefts and abandonments in Oamaru, all believed to have happened within the space of four hours yesterday morning.
The first of the five incidents was reported about 5am, when a vehicle was discovered abandoned in College St after it had allegedly been unlawfully taken from a Dunedin address.
That was followed at 7.11am by a report a vehicle had been taken from a Greta St address and another vehicle found abandoned in its place.
A police spokeswoman said all of the vehicles had their quarter windows smashed and ignition barrels tampered with.
All of the vehicles involved were models of vehicles manufactured by Mazda.
Three have been recovered. Sergeant Blair Wilkinson, of Oamaru, said police believed all of the incidents were linked.
Three young people were named on social media as being responsible for the thefts.
Police have spoken to them and are satisfied they are not involved.