A high school-age girl was punched, kicked and hit with a plastic sign after being chased into a Dunedin department store yesterday.
At the same time, a similar assault was occurring in Mosgiel.
Sergeant Matt Lee, of Dunedin, said officers were called to two simultaneous incidents where youths were chased into stores by assailants of a similar age about 4pm.
At the bus hub in the central city, two girls had a verbal exchange with another girl who they chased into Farmers department store.
There they assaulted her by punching, kicking, kneeing and hitting her with a plastic sign, Sgt Lee said.
Both assailants were arrested and referred to youth aid.
All were high school age, the victim was not seriously injured and police have stepped up patrols around the bus hub in response to recent reports of youth violence, Sgt Lee said.
About the same time, one male youth attacked another in the New World supermarket car park in Mosgiel.
The victim was kneed in the face and stomach, then chased into the supermarket checkout area where the attack continued with kicking, Sgt Lee said.
The assailant was located by police and referred to youth aid, Sgt Lee said.
About 8.45pm yesterday officers were also called to a South Dunedin commercial yard, where four youths were found smoking cannabis inside a work vehicle, which had been potentially left unlocked.
Two dashboard cameras were damaged in the incident, Sgt Lee said.
All four were referred to youth aid, he said.
