Two youths who stole tobacco from an Oamaru dairy on Tuesday afternoon led police to four wanted youth offenders.
Two of the offenders were missing 14- and 15-year-olds police had expressed concerns about.
Sergeant Tony Woodbridge, of Oamaru, said about 1.30pm on Tuesday police received a report of two youths stealing tobacco from the Junction On the Spot dairy.
Video footage showed they jumped the counter and grabbed tobacco.
The two youths identified in the footage were known to police.
Police also received several reports of youths jumping fences and running through backyards on Tuesday.
Police found the youths and chased them on foot for about an hour.
Two 14-year-olds, both male, and two 15-year-olds, one male and one female, were apprehended.
All four face charges in connection with a Mersey St burglary on October 17 and the 15-year-old female was charged with receiving stolen property, from a Chelmer St burglary over the weekend.
She and a 14-year-old male were charged with stealing tobacco from the On the Spot dairy on Tuesday.
