Police are hopeful the arrests of seven youths this week have put the brakes on several groups of teenagers who have been taking Dunedin cars for joyrides and then dumping them.
Four Port Chalmers youths were arrested on Monday and Tuesday suspected of being part of a group police allege illegally took and subsequently dumped up to 10 cars in the Dunedin area over the previous week.
A fifth person, an 18-year-old man, was yet to be spoken to, Senior Sergeant Gavin Briggs, of North Dunedin, said.
Two of the arrested youths, aged 15 and 16, were charged with unlawfully taking a car from Pine Hill, while the other two, both aged 16, were charged with unlawfully getting into the car.
Further charges were likely.
The youths will appear in the Dunedin Youth Court tomorrow.
In the meantime, Snr Sgt Briggs asked any Port Chalmers residents who had cars broken into, or petrol stolen, recently to contact Port Chalmers police.
Senior Sergeant Steve Aitken, of Dunedin, said three other youths, part of an unrelated group from Mosgiel, were arrested at 4.20am yesterday after taking a car from Mosgiel, driving it around Allanton and Mosgiel until it ran out of petrol, and then trying to take another car.
A member of the public contacted police as the group tried to break into the second car in Graham St, Mosgiel.
A police dog located the youths, aged 14, 15 and 16, shortly afterwards.
Four other people were also being spoken to in relation to the incident.
When they appeared in the Dunedin Youth Court yesterday on charges of unlawfully taking a vehicle, the three youths were remanded on bail to August 18.
