Police have arrested nine people after stopping and recovering four stolen vehicles travelling in convoy across Auckland in the early hours of this morning.
Police said a ute stolen from Papakura was reported travelling north on the Southern Motorway at 2.38am.
The police Eagle helicopter was alerted and located the ute travelling through Ellerslie, said Counties Manukau West Area Commander Inspector Ross Ellwood. Unexpectedly, the stolen vehicle wasn't alone.
"The ute was travelling in convoy with three other vehicles that have since been confirmed as stolen.
"All four vehicles were being driven at dangerous speeds, despite not being pursued by any police units on the ground,” he says.
At this point, police said three vehicles exited the Southern Motorway at Mt Wellington.
"They were driven to Commissariat Rd and stopped. Eagle relayed commentary as the occupants of two of the vehicles decamped and got inside the other two,” Inspector Ellwood says.
“These two vehicles have proceeded in tandem to the Ellerslie-Panmure Highway where police staff successfully deployed spikes.”
Both vehicles stopped nearby and were abandoned.
With Eagle monitoring the situation above, police took four people into custody at the scene, while five others fled on foot.
"A police dog unit tracked all five to a nearby address and they were all taken into custody without further incident," Inspector Ellwood says.
"The nine people arrested were aged between 14 and 19."
A 19-year-old male is scheduled to appear in the Manukau District Court today facing charges of possessing instruments for conversion and unlawfully getting into a vehicle, according to police.
The eight young people have been referred to through the Police Youth Aid Team for follow-up action.
"This was brazen and dangerous behaviour, and it is fortunate that no members of the public were put in harm’s way as a result," said Ellwood.
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