Car chase lands Christchurch girls in court

Two teenage Christchurch girls accused of a crime spree at the top of the South Island have been bailed into their parents' care.

The pair, aged 16 and 14, were arrested on Monday when police chased a stolen van through Marlborough after they allegedly stole petrol in Blenheim.

Police caught up with them at Seddon, but they refused to stop and a short, high-speed chase was abandoned when they began weaving and driving on the wrong side.

Kaikoura police then laid road spikes south of Clarence, which flattened the tyres, but they drove on until they lost control of the Toyota van about 20 minutes later, crashing into a safety barrier at Ohau Pt.

Police said they were understood to have stolen the van in Christchurch and driven north to Picton, where they committed several shoplifting and theft offences.

They were charged with unlawfully taking a motor vehicle, reckless driving, theft and drink-driving. At a Youth Court hearing in Blenheim yesterday, they were remanded on strict bail conditions into their parents' care until a hearing in the Youth Court at Christchurch on September 26.

- NZPA