Three young people have been arrested following a series of commercial burglaries in Rangiora early Tuesday morning.
Senior Sergeant Stephen McDaniel said the quick work of police staff led to the arrests after alarm activations and proactive reporting helped track down the offenders.
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“Alarm activations, the proactive work of officers on the ground in Rangiora, and proactive reporting led to the arrests following three commercial burglaries on High Street and Ashley Street,” McDaniel said.
Police were first called to action after a patrol unit conducting proactive patrols in Rangiora noticed the fog cannon had been activated at a phone store on Ashley Street around 4:10AM.
“Following this sighting, Police were notified of two further burglaries after two more store alarms were activated, including a fog cannon at one of the stores,” McDaniel said.
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A vehicle was seen leaving the area near one of the stores in the Rangiora CBD but was not pursued. It was later found abandoned outside another store.
Later in the morning, a vehicle freshly reported stolen was seen driving on Ohoka Road. Police signalled the driver to stop, but they failed to do so and continued onto Williams Street. A pursuit was not initiated.
“At around 4:40AM, Police came across the vehicle crashed on Main North Road near Doubledays Road, Kaiapoi,” McDaniel said.
As a precaution, the three occupants were checked over by ambulance staff, but they were uninjured.
“All three young people were well known to Police. They have been remanded in custody and are due to reappear in the Christchurch Youth Court on charges including failing to stop, unlawfully getting into a vehicle, and burglary,” McDaniel said.
“This behaviour is understandably frustrating for business owners and residents in our community. We are glad to have held these offenders accountable almost immediately after the offences were reported.”
Police continue to encourage the community to report any suspicious behaviour by calling 111 if it is happening now, or 105 if it is after the fact.
