Alleged assault on female officer

A female police officer was allegedly punched in the face while arresting two teenage girls in Bethlehem.

Police were called to a report of a car being broken into on Carmichael Rd on Saturday night.

When they arrived, the male owner of the car had caught two teenage girls who he alleged had smashed his car window.

The man, who only wanted to be known as Liam, told the Bay of Plenty Times he was at a birthday party when a neighbour alerted him to the break-in about 9.15pm.

"We managed to chase them down," Liam said.

He called the police and when they arrived, one of the teens allegedly punched the female officer in the face.

"During the arrest, one of the two teenage women assaulted a female police officer," Tauranga police Acting Senior Sergeant Owen O'Brien said.

A 17-year-old girl will appear in Tauranga District Court next week in relation to unlawfully getting into a car. A 15-year-old girl has been referred to Tauranga Youth Aid.

Police do not believe there is a link between the teenage girls and a string of vandalism attacks on cars in Carmichael Rd, Christopher St and Devonport Rd on Saturday night.