Alleged car thief busted after doing donuts

Police have caught a "busy" teen who they say has been stealing cars in the lower South Island.

Senior Sergeant Anthony Bond said police received reports via Facebook of an 18-year-old male doing donuts in a stolen vehicle in Dunedin's Mornington Park yesterday.

Snr Sgt Bond said the young man had kept himself busy recently, having allegedly stolen a Subaru from Invercargill and driving it to Oamaru, only to allegedly steal another Subaru.

He failed to stop for police in Invercargill before driving the vehicle to Oamaru — where he again failed to stop for police.

He eventually made his way down to Dunedin and was doing donuts in the Oamaru-stolen vehicle in Mornington Park, Eglinton Rd.

Police located and arrested the driver at a George St hotel about 4pm yesterday.

He would appear in court in relation to two counts of unlawfully taking of a vehicle, two failing to stop charges, unlawful damage and driving while disqualified.

 - titus.lambertlane@odt.co.nz