Stolen vehicle used in crime spree found

Police are continuing to hunt for three men who have gone on a crime spree in Wellington this week. File photo / NZ Herald

A stolen vehicle used during a crime spree in Wellington during the past two nights has been found but police are continuing the hunt for the three offenders.

The red 2002 Subaru station wagon was found ablaze in Sheridan Terrace in suburban Newlands last night.

The vehicle was one of three Subarus used by the trio, who in the space of five hours early on Wednesday morning hurled molotov cocktails at the Karori community police station, set alight a car in suburban Highbury, ram-raided a Brooklyn liquor store and stole about 100 bottles of spirits, and burgled Storage King and the Tile Warehouse.

Acting Detective Senior Sergeant Steve Dunn, of Wellington CIB, said police believed the three offenders were also responsible for a commercial burglary in Tawa shortly after 12.30am today and the theft of a 1996 blue Subaru Legacy station wagon from Johnsonville.

"We believe these three men broke into DTV Solutions, Main Road, Tawa, overnight, stealing a 52 inch (132cm) television and may also be linked to an attempted burglary at Tawa Mower Services at the weekend and a burglary at Wellington Mowers and Chainsaws in Karori early Monday morning," Mr Dunn said.

"We have a large team of detectives working on this investigation and we are determined we will find those responsible."

Police would not tolerate this type of offending by men who clearly had total disregard for the community and the law, Mr Dunn said.

Two of the offenders have been described as Caucasian, in their 20s, of slim build, both wearing black hooded sweatshirts.

Police said they would like to hear from anyone who saw the red Subaru station wagon, registration FRA21, before it was burned out in Newlands yesterday, and any sightings of the blue Subaru Legacy station wagon, registration DAJ817.

Police also wanted to hear from anyone who had been offered cheap alcohol, following the theft of about 100 bottles of spirits in the Brooklyn ram raid.

- NZPA