Two 15-year-olds have been charged with burglary over a ram-raid at a South Auckland shopping mall last month that saw three vehicles drive through it and a number of electronic and clothing items stolen.
Dramatic CCTV footage showed cars racing through Ormiston Town Centre during the ram-raid on April 26.
READ MORE: CCTV shows cars racing through mall during Auckland ram-raid
The footage showed three vehicles driving through the mall, with over a dozen thieves jumping out.
Counties Manukau detective inspector Karen Bright said police executed six search warrants on Wednesday over the incident, five of which were in Counties Manukau and one in Northland.
The search warrants resulted in the arrests of three youths and police say two 15-year-olds have been charged with burglary and unlawfully takes, while a third youth has been referred to Youth Aid.
More thieves raced alongside the vehicles in Ormiston Town Centre. (Source: Supplied)
The two teenagers will each appear in the Manukau and Whangārei Youth Courts.
"Additionally, a 22-year-old has been summonsed to the Manukau District Court on a charge of receiving stolen property. He is due to appear in court on May 19," police said in a statement.
At the time of the burglary, a store manager at the shopping centre told 1News she has seen CCTV footage which appears to show 16 young people stealing from stores.
Bright said police inquiries will continue and further arrests could still be made.
Last month, police said the rise in youth crime was being driven by social media and other social factors.
Hamilton City Area Commander, Inspector Andrea McBeth, told 1News after four children, one as young as seven, were caught attempting to steal from a Hamilton shopping centre, the crimes were being glorified on social media.
"We're seeing things on TikTok, Facebook and other social media platforms and we've got some real concern that that is encouraging further behaviour of this nature."
McBeth said the issue is "something that needs to be dealt with on a case-by-case basis".
"Police need to work with the community and other partner agencies to get across some of these social factors."
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