Two teenagers were arrested within an hour of a raft of burglaries being committed by people in a stolen car yesterday, after Invercargill residents quickly reported "suspicious" behaviour.
Detective Peter Smallfield, of Invercargill, said a Mazda vehicle was stolen from the Kingswell suburb early yesterday by two people, who later pulled up to a jewellers in the central city about 5am.
"They have got out and attempted to smash the windows with a scooter and when they were not able to gain entry, they travelled to a service station in Newfield.
"Again, they were not able to gain entry."
Det Smallfield said the vehicle stopped in a nearby street, and the occupants had "an interaction" with a member of the public, in which they pretended to have a firearm with them in order to scare the person away.
The duo then travelled to a dairy in Windsor, where they managed to smash their way in.
They allegedly stole items including vapes, cash and confectionery before driving off.
Police were called and a dog unit was used to locate the vehicle a short distance away.
Det Smallfield said the police dog tracked the occupants of the car who had fled on foot.
They were taken into police custody about 6am.
Two young males were due to appear in the Invercargill Youth Court today, appearing jointly on three charges of burglary, one of theft of a motor vehicle and one of being unlawfully in a closed yard.
"This behaviour is incredibly frustrating for residents and business owners in our community and it’s pleasing to have been able to immediately hold this pair to account.
"We want to extend our thanks to the members of the public who observed suspicious behaviour and reported it to police straight away, enabling the quick apprehension of the two youths."
It was also a reminder to take every precaution possible to help avoid becoming a victim of crime, Det Smallfield said.
"Remember to take property security measures with your vehicles — keep them inside a secure garage, if possible, remove valuables and consider a steering wheel lock.
"This all helps make your vehicle less desirable for opportunistic thieves."
— APL
