KEY POINTS:
Seven young people are in custody after separate police chases of three stolen vehicles last night.
Three police cars suffered minor to moderate damage during the pursuits in Tauranga and Oamaru.
The Oamaru pursuit began after a Corolla car being driven without headlights failed to stop for police about 11.10pm.
Inspector John Doherty of southern police communications police pursued the Corolla on secondary roads until the vehicle headed south on State Highway One.
Police discovered the car had been stolen from Dunedin, Mr Doherty said.
During the chase another vehicle was seen shadowing the pursuit.
After about 30 minutes the Corolla blew its gearbox coming to a grinding halt.
An 18-year-old man and 17-year-old woman were taken into custody.
Mr Doherty said about that time the vehicle that was shadowing the pursuit drove past and was being a car stolen from Hampden, 37km south west of Oamaru.
When police signalled it to stop it pulled over without incident.
Inside was an 18-year-old man who was wanted on warrants.
The group had been travelling together and had allegedly been committing car thefts between Palmerston and Oamaru, and in Dunedin over the last three days, Mr Doherty said.
The man and woman in the Corolla were also disqualified drivers and as they swapped seats during the pursuit both have been charged with disqualified driving along with other driving offences.
All three will be appearing in the Oamaru District court today on a range of charges.
Meanwhile, Senior Sergeant Wayne Mills of Tauranga police said a stolen Toyota Hi Ace van was spotted by Te Puke police on State Highway 2 near Waitangi around 11pm.
The van failed to stop and police began a pursuit.
Mr Mills said at times the chase reached speeds of up to 120km/h.
The van travelled into Papamoa, 19km south east of Tauranga, where a constable set up road spikes in an attempt to stop it.
"The van swerved avoiding the road spikes, narrowly missing the Constable," Mr Mills said.
The vehicle was eventually stopped on the causeway near the Tauranga Harbour bridge.
The driver fled, but was arrested a short distance away. Three passengers were picked up at the scene.
During the pursuit three police cars received minor to moderate damage.
Mr Mill said a 16-year-old male had been charged with stealing the van and reckless driving. He was due to appear in Tauranga Youth Court today.
A 17-year-old passenger was also charged with stealing the van while two others, aged 13 and 14, had been referred to Youth Aid.
The pursuits come just a day after the funeral of Sergeant Derek Wootton of Porirua police who was killed last Friday by the driver of a stolen car as he was laying out police spikes.
- NZPA
