Three Teenagers Arrested After 90-Minute High-Speed Chase Across Auckland Following Store Burglary

Just after 5:30am, a Howick store on Moore Street was targeted in a burglary that would spark one of the most dramatic police pursuits across Auckland. Three individuals forced their way into the store and threatened a witness with a weapon before fleeing in a recently stolen Toyota Aqua with electronic goods in their possession.

Police located the vehicle shortly after on Chapel Road in East Tamaki, but the driver accelerated to high speed, triggering a pursuit that would last approximately 90 minutes. The Police Eagle helicopter tracked the vehicle as it traveled dangerously through Ōtara and Flat Bush, eventually heading south onto the motorway. Throughout the pursuit, the vehicle was driven on the wrong side of the road at high speed, weaving erratically through traffic across Waitematā and back through Counties Manukau.

The dangerous driving came to an end when the vehicle was successfully spiked on Redoubt Road, bringing it to a stop on Diorella Drive in Clover Park. All three occupants were quickly taken into custody at the scene. During the arrest process, one of the alleged offenders sustained a dog bite and was transported to hospital for treatment.

The three people in custody are aged 14 and 15 years old. Police are currently considering charges against all three occupants. The successful apprehension involved coordination between multiple police units and aerial support, bringing the incident to a safe conclusion after hours of pursuit across the city's suburbs and motorway network.