One 10-second video, captioned "free the lock ups", begins with a child making a hand gesture as if to unlock a car as he approaches a dark-coloured Mazda Demio at night.
Inside the car, another child sits in the driver’s seat and the ignition lock has been tampered with.
Another video obtained by the Otago Daily Times yesterday shows children alternately filming the road and the speedometer as the car reaches speeds of more than 160kmh.
The children involved are too young to be held responsible for breaking the law.
Police yesterday made an appeal for videos of the alleged youth crime spree after it emerged the videos were being posted on social media.
By about 9.30am police were aware of the theft or attempted theft of about 30 cars in the Dunedin area since Friday night.
Senior Sergeant Anthony Bond, of Dunedin, said police believed the incidents were all connected to the same children.
Early yesterday a police dog tracked down a boy and girl after they crashed a stolen car in the North Taieri area about 4am, Snr Sgt Bond said.
The children were taken home, and their parents were spoken to, he said.
There was at least one more child who police believed was involved in the spate of stolen vehicles, Snr Sgt Bond said.
However, police were mindful of legislation under the Oranga Tamariki Act which outlined how children and young people could be dealt with throughout an investigation.
"Police are doing everything they can regarding the legislation they have and are mindful that those under 14 years of age are not criminally liable unless serious criminality has occurred, such as homicide," he said.
The ODT was sent four videos from the same TikTok account yesterday, the longest of which was only 42 seconds.
None of the children’s faces appeared in any of the videos, but the young age of the children featured in them was evident.
When the children were filming themselves driving in the stolen cars, the video was taken by a passenger in the back seat.
In one video, which appears to be filmed in Riccarton Rd, Mosgiel, a boy appears to be driving while a girl rides in the passenger seat.
Snr Sgt Bond said the children were filming themselves to post their exploits on social media.
‘‘Police are asking parents that, if they become aware of those videos, can they please contact us on 105 and save a copy and share it with us so that that can assist us in our investigation.’’
Since Friday, at least 30 Mazda Demios, Toyota Aquas and Nissan Tiidas had been either stolen or tampered with.
The cars had been targeted because of their lack of security features.
From Friday night to Monday morning about 20 vehicles had either been stolen or an attempt had been made to steal them in the South Dunedin, north Dunedin, Opoho, Fairfield and Mosgiel areas.
Overnight yesterday, at least four cars were stolen from Corstorphine, Waitati, Waikouaiti and North East Valley.
Another six cars, that police knew of, had been interfered with, as attempts were made to steal them.
The children were stealing cars, criss-crossing the city and abandoning cars for the ‘‘thrill’’ of it, he said.
Yesterday’s continuation of the weekend spree started about 10pm on Monday and stopped early yesterday morning after a vehicle stolen from Silverstream Valley Rd crashed into a bank in Puddle Alley about 4am.
The children ran off, but a police dog handler responded and a boy and girl were located. At one point overnight a stolen car was spotted being driven at speed on the one-way system at Harbour Tce.
The car failed to stop, and because of the manner of driving police did not pursue it. CCTV footage obtained from the area was being reviewed, Snr Sgt Bond said.
