Five in custody after car theft spree

Five people are in custody after a week-long car theft spree ended with a driver jumping into a river yesterday in Blenheim yesterday.

The raft of vehicle-related crimes started on November 24, when a Nissan Sunny was stolen from a Blenheim street. and was found three days later, in Timaru, Constable Michelle Stagg said.

Three days later, on November 30, a black Nissan Pulsar was stolen in Timaru. The next time police heard of the stolen car was about 11.30am yesterday, when the staff of a Kaikoura petrol station reported its occupants driving off without paying for a tank of petrol.

About 4pm yesterday, an off-duty police officer spotted the stolen Pulsar on the streets of Blenheim.

Other police called to the scene tried to get the car to stop, but the driver fled.

Police gave chase, with the driver leading the officers through the Blenheim CBD, then out of town to the dead-end Dillons Point road.

The driver ditched the car and its four passengers, jumping into the Opawa River.

Police cordoned off the area and called in a dog unit and the man was caught downstream at the Wairau Lagoon, Ms Stagg said.

She said a 24-year-old man, a 16-year-old girl and an 18-year-old woman - were arrested for unlawfully getting into a stolen vehicle.

Another passenger, a 15-year-old schoolgirl, was arrested for two counts of being party to unlawful taking, being a party to unlawful interference and party to theft.

An unemployed 18-year-old man had been charged with theft of a motor vehicle, interfering with a motor vehicle, failing to stop, dangerous driving, theft and on two warrants for his arrest.

The 18-year-old driver and the 15-year-old schoolgirl were remanded in custody to appear in Blenheim District Court today while the others were bailed.

- NZPA