Police have arrested two teens after six vehicles and hundreds of litres of fuel were taken in a string of Southland burglaries earlier this week.
Invercargill area prevention manager Acting Inspector Mel Robertson said several overnight thefts happened on Tuesday April 7.
“Six vehicles were stolen, along with hundreds of litres diesel and petrol, but police have been able to recover five of the vehicles thanks to GPS tracking," she said.
Nine 20 litre cans containing various fuels have also been recovered.
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A 17-year-old was arrested after a search warrant was executed at an Invercargill property.
He was charged with burglary relating to the theft of fuel from a tractor, with police considering further charges – he was due to appear in the Invercargill Youth Court later this month.
An 18-year-old arrested at the same property was arrested and charged with receiving stolen goods.
He will appear in the Invercargill District Court on April 14.
“Anyone who is thinking of stealing fuel or vehicles should take this as a warning – we will act immediately and use our resources to find and prosecute anyone involved,” Robertson said.
Police inquiries were ongoing, with people in rural communities encouraged to review their security measures, especially around fuel.
Earlier in the week, two men were arrested for separate fuel thefts in Hamilton and Christchurch, with police closely monitoring fuel thefts as cost pressures continue.
Early on Tuesday morning 3000L of diesel was taken from a business in Marton.
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