14 arrested over spate of car thefts

Fourteen youths, including some as young as 13, have been arrested in relation to a spate of stolen-vehicle incidents across Auckland.

Police have detailed several incidents across the city over two days this week, including one where a driver tried to hide a vehicle and subsequently rolled it down a bank.

Shortly after 2am yesterday, police received a report involving a group of youths interfering with parked vehicles on Spinella Drive in Bayview.

Waitematā East relieving area commander, Inspector Michael Rickards, said police were sent to the area and learned two vehicles the group were travelling in were stolen.

“We did not initiate a pursuit but were soon able to deploy spikes successfully on one of the vehicles in Takapuna.

“This vehicle soon came to a stop where the two occupants fled on foot, but were quickly taken into custody,” Rickards said.

The second vehicle was spotted by police in Titirangi and a pursuit was initiated.

Rickards said the driver tried to hide the vehicle from police down a steep driveway, but lost control and rolled down a small bank.

Five occupants fled into the bush but police found four and took them into custody, Rickards said.

Two were taken to Waitā kere Hospital for medical attention.

It followed an incident in Mt Wellington shortly before midnight on Tuesday, when a person reported their vehicle stolen.

Police found the vehicle in Māngere and five youths, four of them aged 13, were taken into custody.

About 3.30am on Wednesday, police received a call about several young people parking vehicles near Becroft Park in Forrest Hill on Auckland’s North Shore.

Counties Manukau South area commander Inspector Joe Hunter said a police unit attended the scene and spotted another vehicle, suspected to be stolen, driving towards the park. The vehicle sped off as police approached.

Two youths aged 14 and a 15-yearold were taken into custody after a chase that ended with the use of spikes.