Auckland: Four teenagers in police custody after alleged Manurewa shoplifting attempt

The attempted shoplifting was reported to police at 11.30am. Photo / 123rf

Four young people have been taken into custody after allegedly trying to shoplift at a Manurewa convenience store.

Footage of the incident at Browns Rd Suprette shows members of the public appearing to detain the youths. One person can be heard saying they were on the phone with police.

A police spokesperson said a report of an attempted shoplifting was received at 11.30am.

Four people, aged 14 and 15, had been taken into custody as a result.

The spokesperson said police strongly discouraged the public from taking matters into their own hands.

"This places the public at greater risk of harm and police are trying to avoid escalations in these situations."

Meanwhile, a group of six young people, including one as young as 12, have been caught allegedly breaking into vehicles in Kāpiti this morning.

The children, aged between 12 and 16, were expected to be referred to Youth Aid.

The incidents follow a number of ram raids recently involving young people, including a case this week at a Hamilton shopping centre break-in where police found four children aged 7, 10, 11 and 12 clutching stolen toys.

Youth workers have warned against coming down hard on children involved in ram raids, saying they need help rather than harsher punishment.

Aaron Hendry, who has been a youth worker for a decade, said it was easy to assume those involved were just bad kids who needed to be punished.

But he had learned there were "no bad kids, only hurt ones".

"No matter how tough, scary, big, or bad a young person may seem to you, when you take time to listen and hear what's going on under the surface the reality is a child who is hurting and just asking to be seen."