Police have caught eight youth offenders fleeing in a stolen car after a 90km journey from Thames to south Auckland.
A police spokesperson said at about 3:30am on Monday in the Waikato town of Thames, police spotted two suspicious vehicles which sped off when they saw police.
Police did not pursue the two vehicles - a Subaru and Toyota - but while they were being monitored by an Eagle Helicopter, police confirmed at least one of the vehicles had been reported as stolen.
Police spiked the Subaru vehicle at the intersection near State Highway 1 and five people got out of the car, abandoned it, and jumped into the Toyota.
The group continued to drive north on State Highway 1 and police spiked the Toyota at the Papakura junction, forcing the vehicle to exit the motorway at Takanini.
Eight occupants, all youths, fled from the vehicle with four being caught quickly by patrols. The remaining four were located at a nearby address.
All eight youths were arrested and Youth Aid referrals will be made.
Meanwhile another person was arrested in the early hours of Monday after fleeing around 88km from police.
Police said at approximately 2:00am a Honda car with a stolen number plate failed to stop for police on Maioro St, Wesley, Auckland.
An Eagle Helicopter kept an eye on the car as it continued south onto SH1 and then SH2 through rural roads.
The car was eventually spiked in Waitakaruru in Waikato and two occupants decamped into mangroves.
Both occupants were located shortly after and arrested. One man aged in his 30s from Auckland appeared before the courts on Monday morning.
