Auckland police have arrested nine people, some as young as 14 years old, following retail crimes across the region overnight.
Detective Senior Sergeant Scott Armstrong said police responded to reports of a burglary at around 1:05am on Monday where offenders attempted to ram-raid a commercial address in Epsom with a stolen vehicle.
Not long after, police and the Eagle helicopter then responded to another ram-raid with the same vehicle, an SUV, being used to enter a Nike store on Newmarket's Broadway at about 1:15am.
"Eagle observed an SUV leaving the area before being abandoned nearby."
Det Snr Sgt Armstong said the alleged offenders entered a second vehicle, where police tracked the vehicle as it travelled south on the Southern Motorway, before exiting at Hill Rd where police spiked it.
"The vehicle continued to travel in dangerous manner, before entering an area of roadworks on Weymouth Road, Manurewa where it was able to be stopped and the five occupants taken into custody."
Det Snr Sgt Armstrong said police searched the vehicles used and recovered a range of stolen branded property and a firearm too.
Police arrested four people, aged between 19 and 24 – all of whom will appear in the Auckland District Court on Monday, charged with several counts of burglary and unlawful takes.
Det Snr Sgt Armstrong said three of them have also been charged in relation to an aggravated robbery at a commercial address in Royal Oak on Thursday.
He said a 16-year-old was also arrested in relation to these crimes and will appear in The Auckland District Court on Monday.
"Given the range of property recovered, our enquiries will continue, and we can’t rule out further charges for other incidents," said Det Snr Sgt Armstrong.
Police also took four teenagers, aged between 14 and 16 years old, into custody following an alleged burglary at a gas station on North Shore's East Coast Rd.
Det Snr Sgt Nick Poland said at around 2:40am on Monday, police were called to the service station in Milford after a report of two people breaking in.
"Those involved have taken a number of items before leaving the scene in a vehicle," said Det Snr Sgt Poland.
He said it's believed the vehicle was used to ram raid the service station.
Police tracked the vehicle as it "travelled at speed" along East Coast Rd before it entered the Northern Motorway heading southbound.
"The vehicle has exited, then re-entered the motorway, heading north."
Det Snr Sgt Poland said the Eagle continued to track the vehicle before police spiked it in Silverdale where it eventually stopped in Wainui.
The teens then fled from the vehicle, before police apprehended them a short distance away and took them into custody.
Det Snr Sgt Armstrong said Monday morning's arrests show police are continuing to hold offenders to account.
"This brazen and often violent offending being inflicted on our community is unacceptable and those who choose to engage can expect to be held to account."
