Police Eagle helicopter crew are being praised for efforts that saw them land in a paddock to arrest seven young people.
Photo: RNZ / Simon Rogers
Police say the Eagle Helicopter was monitoring a car being driven over the speed limit and without registration plates that was first spotted by the public in Kaiwaka township north of Wellsford around 1pm this afternoon.
The crew kept track as it travelled in the Dome Forest, providing updates to police on the ground.
Road spikes were laid out near the northern end of Dome Forest.
Police said when the car came to a stop on State Highway 1 in Wellsford, seven young people allegedly ran from the stolen car and to a queue of stationary vehicles. They then tried to get into other cars to make their escape.
With ground police still a distance away, the Eagle Helicopter crew decided to land in nearby farmland.
Two officers from the helicopter ran to the scene and took the seven youths into custody before they could get away.
"I have no doubt that the actions of our Eagle crew prevented further offending being committed by these seven youths, who were intent on securing a second stolen vehicle - and undoubtedly fleeing again," Inspector Jason Homan said in a statement.
