No escape for teenagers as public join chase after crash in Awanui

The end of the line for a stolen car. The parked cars that were damaged are to the left. Photo / Northland Age

The occupants of a stolen car that crashed in Awanui yesterday morning not only had the police to contend with.

The general public got involved too, helping chase down two of the suspects, who were finally apprehended some 2km from the crash scene.

Three of the occupants, described by police as juvenile females, were apprehended at the scene, while two males, one a juvenile and the other 17, identified by police as the driver, fled on foot over farm land.

They were finally taken into custody after a police dog caught up with them.

The younger boy was admitted to Kaitaia Hospital for monitoring of his asthma, while the 17-year-old was charged with unlawfully taking the car (from a Kaitaia address at 2am yesterday), dangerous driving, theft of petrol, failing to stop and breaching bail. He is to appear in the Kaitaia District Court today.

The incident began with a "drive-off" from the GAS service station at Cooper's Beach.

Police from Kaitaia met the car travelling towards Awanui at Kareponia, turned and followed.

No actual pursuit was initiated because of the speed it was travelling at, and because police recognised the driver.

The car turned north at the SH10/SH1 intersection but crashed into a parked car, shunting it into a second parked car, and was abandoned in the northbound lane.