Five teens, including three 13-year-olds arrested in Hamilton after incidents

Five teenagers - three aged 13, one 14 and another 15 - have been arrested after a number of incidents in Hamilton yesterday, starting when a car was stolen in Fairfield. Image / Google

Five teenagers have been arrested after allegedly stealing a car, attempting to rob a dairy and later driving off without paying for petrol in Hamilton.

Police were called to the suburb of Fairfield late yesterday morning after a Volkswagen Golf was stolen from outside a property there.

It is alleged the group - made up of three 13-year-old boys, a 14-year-old boy and a 15-year-old girl - then drove to a dairy about half an hour away on Studholme St, in Morrinsville.

Acting Detective Harry Hodgson, of Hamilton Police, said: "Four of the youths entered the dairy, one allegedly armed with a knife, but have fled without taking anything.

"The occupants of the dairy were not injured.''

Police said a short time later, the group then filled the vehicle at a Mobil petrol station on the corner of State Highway 1 and Karapiro Rd, before allegedly driving off without paying.

A police officer spotted the car on SH1, near Hicks Rd and attempted to stop it, knowing it was stolen and believed to be involved in the earlier incidents, Hodgson said.

"The vehicle failed to stop for police and continued to drive along State Highway 1, but came to a stop on the Waikato Expressway, north of Duncan Rd.''

Hodgson thanked members of the public for helping police with information that led to apprehending those involved - who were all arrested.

"The youths have not only put themselves at risk, but also members of our community.''

The group will appear in the Hamilton Youth Court tomorrow.