Several arrests have been made overnight following ram-raids at businesses across the upper North Island.
The arrests have been after a spate of similar incidents in Auckland, Bay of Plenty and Waikato.
Police say two teenage boys were arrested early on Tuesday morning after police were called to the Te Aroha Four Square at 11.30pm on Monday following a report of a burglary.
Police officers located an alleged stolen vehicle on arrival, which had been used to gain entry to the store.
A group was seen leaving in another allegedly stolen vehicle, then sighted at an address in Waharoa.
Three people were spotted running from the address where police located property related to the burglary.
Further inquiries led police to another Waharoa address where staff located two people, both males aged 16-years-old.
The pair were due to appear in the Hamilton Youth Court on Tuesday.
In a specific effort to target this type of offending, Waikato District Police launched Operation Pryor in February.
Since February 1, Waikato Police have arrested 80 offenders and recovered more than $100,000 in stolen property.
Meanwhile, in Auckland City, police have arrested a man following an investigation into a burglary at a Queen Street store last month.
Police have been investigating the burglary since it occurred on March 26.
A 20-year-old man has been arrested and faces two charges of receiving stolen property.
He is due to appear in the Auckland District Court on April 14.
The man’s second charge relates to an alleged burglary at a jewellery store in Mt Maunganui on March 19.
Police have located a number of items allegedly stolen from that burglary.
On Monday, two luxury stores - Gucci and Louis Vuitton - in Auckland's CBD were ram-raided in the early hours of the morning.
A spokesperson told 1News two stolen vehicles were found after the incident, one at the scene on Queen Street and a second nearby.
Auckland City area prevention officer David Christoffersen told 1News the value of the stolen items was yet to be ascertained, but one store had no items stolen.
The latest ram raid in Auckland came just days after an 11-year-old driver was among nine arrested following a ram raid at a Sandringham superette.
An 11-year-old driver was among those arrested over the incident. (Source: 1News)
Assistant Commissioner Richard Chambers said police national intelligence shows 88% of these offenders are under 20, with the majority actually under 17.
“As a clear youth offending issue, this is wider than police,” he said.
“We need our communities to work alongside us and partner agencies to support young people onto a better path.”
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