Please attribute to Canterbury Metro Area Commander Superintendent Lane Todd:

Police are investigating after there were several serious incidents involving youth offenders in Christchurch overnight.

The first incident occurred not long before 6pm outside a gym in Wigram, where a vehicle was stolen. Shortly after four young people threatened to take another person’s vehicle outside a store in Hornby.

Just before 10pm, a 17-year-old man stepped off a bus on Mackworth Street in Woolston and a vehicle described as a Toyota Aqua attempted to drive at him. One of the offenders then got out of the vehicle and confronted the victim and attempted to take his phone.

Around 45 minutes later on Skyhawk Road in Wigram, a group of young people has threatened a member of the public before taking off with their cell phone and dog. They then tried to drive their vehicle toward the victim. The dog has since been located.

Following this serious incident, there was a burglary at a vape shop on Stanmore Road at about 4:36am where the offenders have smashed their way into the store, however, they fled as Police arrived and drove off in such a dangerous manner that Police were unable to initiate a pursuit.

Early enquiries lead Police to believe that all of these incidents are linked however work to fully establish this is ongoing. We now have a number of officers working to identify and locate the people involved.

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This type of behaviour is completely unacceptable and we will ensure they are held accountable for their dangerous and reckless actions which has left a number of victims extremely shaken. We will be ensuring they receive Victim Support alongside ongoing police support.

We have our Scene of Crime Officers carrying out forensic examinations at the relevant scenes and of vehicles of interest that have been located.

Anyone with information which they think may be of assistance to the Police investigation, please update us online now  or call 105.

Please use the reference number P060294419.

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