Pursuits under full moon

It took three minutes for the 13-year-old driver of a stolen car to lose control trying to flee police in Hamilton. When officers caught up to him they found two other boys aged 12 and 13 in the car. The fleeting attempt to get away was one of three police pursuits to unfold within three hours on Waikato roads last night. It started around 3.30am on Vercoe Rd in Beerescourt area of Hamilton. A police unit spotted the stolen Mazda Familia and signalled for it to stop, Waikato police Senior Sergeant Pete Simpson said. ‘‘It had three young males inside the vehicle. ‘‘They drove from there towards Ulster St where they hit the footpath, blew a tyre and came to a stop by the driving range.’’ Police found the 13-year-old driver and two passengers – aged 12 and 13 – in the vehicle. All were Hamilton boys and had been referred to Youth Aid. Shortly beforehand, around 1am, police engaged in a 75-minute pursuit of a motorcyclist around the city. The chase began in north Hamilton where the rider of a green sports bike failed to stop for police. The pursuit continued for 75 minutes before police lost the rider in the Hamilton Gardens area. The bike and rider were still at large, Simpson said. Then at 4am the driver of a car in Te Awamutu also decided he wasn’t stopping for police. A police officer attempted to stop the silver Nissan Bluebird on Paterangi Rd in Te Awamutu. The vehicle, registration number HSJ976, had just been stolen from Te Awamutu, Simpson said. Due to excessive speeds the pursuit was called off. Hamilton police were unable to locate him.