Four young people high on nitrous oxide livestreamed their arrest last year to family and friends as police smashed the windows of a stolen car on an Auckland motorway, a watchdog report reveals.
The Independent Police Conduct Authority (IPCA) agreed with police that the force used to arrest the four young people was justified despite minor injuries sustained during the incident. It also found language officers used to be "unprofessional and overly aggressive".
Police had been searching for the group since about 3.15pm on April 7, 2025. Officers had spotted a stolen car being driven dangerously in West Auckland, with the vehicle being abandoned before its occupants tried to steal another person's car, then fled on foot.
At about 9.30pm, the Eagle helicopter saw another stolen car leaving an address on Woodford Ave in Henderson.
The car fled from officers who signalled it to stop on Lincoln Rd. It then sped along the Northwestern and Southwestern motorways to Māngere, where the occupants switched cars.
The helicopter then tracked the car towards Ellerslie, where it began experiencing mechanical issues. Officers spiked its tyres and blocked the car in with patrol vehicles.
When the car stopped, the four refused to follow officers' instructions. Officers smashed the windows of the locked car to get them out, and each resisted arrest. The young people suffered minor injuries, including scrapes and grazes.
Family members complained to the IPCA, which oversaw the police investigation.
Police concluded the officers' use of force was justified and that, apart from the language, staff had acted within policy and best practice. They were also satisfied the four had been treated appropriately in custody.
Auckland City district commander Superintendent Sunny Patel said police accepted the finding.
"The occupants refused to follow police instructions and staff were forced to smash windows to remove them from the vehicle," he said.
"Several police staff were found to use unprofessional language during the arrest, and this was dealt with by their managers."
The 18-year-old driver had been the subject of a media appeal over an aggravated robbery at the Michael Hill store in Mānawa Bay, an outlet centre near Auckland Airport, on March 23.
A 15-year-old passenger was charged with that robbery and another at Kayson's Fashion Store on March 16. The other two passengers, aged 16 and 19, faced charges of failing to stop and unlawfully getting into a motor vehicle.
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