Spikes end 12-year-old's joyride

It took police road spikes to stop a 12-year-old's joyride in South Canterbury yesterday.

Wanting to see his friends, the Timaru boy stole a car in the town and led police officers around nearby Temuka at speed about midday.

A Timaru police spokeswoman described it as an "opportunist crime" that had the potential for tragedy from the moment the boy started the car.

"There were certainly excessive speeds on quiet roads and thank goodness we could keep him off [main roads]," she told the Timaru Herald.

The boy was finally stopped by a spike strip thrown out by police at an intersection, but not before an innocent driver also hit the spikes.

The bill for replacing his four tyres has been picked up by the police.

The boy will be referred to Youth Aid.

- NZPA