Three 15-year-old Timaru youths who allegedly tried to evade police near Middlemarch for nearly six hours on Tuesday were remanded without plea into Child, Youth and Family custody when they appeared in court in Dunedin yesterday.
Their cases were transferred to Timaru and they will appear in the Timaru Youth Court today.
Police allege the youths stole a car from Timaru on Monday.
They were spotted near Middlemarch about 2.15pm on Tuesday, but police said they took off before abandoning the car and running off on foot.
It was six hours before all three were located.
They are jointly charged with unlawfully taking the car, and the driver also faces several driving charges.
The youths were not in CYF custody before the incident, police said.
Dunedin-Clutha police area commander Inspector Dave Campbell said the search for the youths was resource-intense and became more so once police started having concerns for their safety.
Officers from Alexandra, Dunedin, Mosgiel, Middlemarch and Oamaru were called to the scene where the trio had absconded after the Middlemarch constable tried to pull them over about 2.15pm.
A helicopter called to search for them was stood down after a brief search, but later called back and a search and rescue team mobilised after one of the youths was located, and it became apparent the other two were still in the hills, lightly clad and unprepared for a cold night in the open.
Insp Campbell said he had no idea of the cost of the operation yet, but it would be well into thousands of dollars, as the helicopter was required for several hours.
Police had little option but to use so many resources, given the location of the incident, and the safety fears that developed, he said.
