A 9-year-old is the youngest of a group of children who fled from police in a stolen car and hit a pedestrian in South Auckland overnight.
The oldest child allegedly involved was a 13-year-old, police said.
Officers first spotted a car full of children driving through Takanini about 7.30pm yesterday.
Police confirmed the car was stolen and tried to pull it over but the group fled.
The police Eagle helicopter relayed information to officers on the ground, Inspector Mark Chivers said.
The children allegedly hit the pedestrian in Manurewa, Chivers said. The pedestrian was unharmed.
The group then stopped on Seaward Place in Wattle Downs, where three passengers got out and continued fleeing on foot.
The remaining children in the car then drove to Burbank Ave in Manurewa, where they got out and ran into a property.
Police arrested all the children without further incident, Chivers said.
He said: “It is incredibly fortunate no one was seriously injured as a result of this incident.”
Police referred the children to Youth Aid Services.
A senior doctor who had worked closely with the athletes warned they were 'at risk'.