Police unable to arrest runaways

Police have a good idea where the two teenage boys who ran away from a Child Youth and Family camp in the Te Urewera National Park are, but are unable to issue a warrant for their arrest because of their age.

Whakatane police confirmed one of the boys was in Auckland, and the other was believed to be in Opotiki.

The pair, aged 15 and 16, absconded from the CYF-monitored Youth Court programme, run by the Wairaka Kokiri Trust, on Friday.

Eastern Bay of Plenty Police Acting Area Commander Greg Sparrow said the boys took extra clothing and food with them and were very "bush-savvy".

"As soon as the trust became aware they boys were gone, they immediately implemented their procedures and undertook an extensive search for the pair. This is standard procedure."

Inspector Sparrow said that on Tuesday morning police were told of confirmed sightings of the boys near Kawerau, in the Bay of Plenty.

Unless the pair committed a crime, a warrant could not be issued for their arrest, a police spokeswoman said. It was now up to CYF to decide whether to pursue the matter through the Youth Court.

Trust manager Beatrice Ainsley said that if the pair got help from family and friends they could hide out indefinitely.

Mrs Ainsley said the boys had only a few weeks to go on their three-month course "but took off out of the blue".

Wairaka Kokiri Trust has run youth programmes under CYF supervision for 15 years.

"We get one or two who run away a year. I think that is quite a good result for a place that doesn't have any bars stopping them from leaving," she said.

- NZPA