A teenager allegedly stole multiple cars then spat in the face of an arresting officer following a police dog chase in Dunedin yesterday morning.
Senior Sergeant Anthony Bond, of Dunedin, said police responded to a call at 12.15am from a member of the public in Edith St, Fairfield, who saw a car crashed into a fence and a person running from the scene.
Police made inquiries in the area and located two more vehicles that had been broken into that were parked a short distance away in Old Brighton Rd.
They then called in the police dog handler to help locate the runner.
They tracked down the 17-year-old teen on Old Brighton Rd, who was then arrested.
During the arrest, the teen allegedly spat in the face of the arresting officer.
Snr Sgt Bond said further investigations found the teen had stolen the first vehicle from Pencarrow Rd in South Dunedin.
He then drove it to Mosgiel and proceeded to dump it.
The teen then allegedly stole another vehicle from Mosgiel and drove it through to Fairfield, where he crashed into a fence in Edith St.
He then attempted to flee.
Police found the second vehicle had tools and gloves in the back allegedly belonging to the teen.
The teenager was arrested and charged with unlawfully getting into two vehicles, interference with two vehicles, assaulting police and possessing instruments for car conversion.
He will appear in Youth Court tomorrow.
