Up to 20 youths had admitted a part in some of the burglaries of the holiday homes, Senior Sergeant Allan Grindell said.
A 20-year-old Wanaka man will appear in the Queenstown District Court on Monday on a burglary charge, while two Wanaka teenagers, aged 19 and 17, face charges of receiving.
Senior Sergeant Allan Grindell did not rule out the possibility the trio would face more charges.
Most of the youths would be dealt with by youth aid, he said.
A breakthrough came when police investigated a Cardrona Valley burglary. That "opened a can of worms", and the rash of complaints from holiday-home owners last summer was revisited.
It was possible some home owners still did not know they had been targeted, he said.
The investigation was ongoing and more people needed to be spoken to.
He acknowledged alcohol had "almost certainly been the main target" of the burglaries and had most likely been consumed.
An older-style television and video recorder of low value, which had been reported stolen, had been recovered.
People should not leave valuables and alcohol in holiday homes, should install alarms and should get to know their neighbours, he said.
"I've always been pleasantly surprised when you look at the number of targets there are, that there's been a relatively low level of burglaries ... But, nationally, a lot of crime goes unreported so there could be a lot more out there," he said.
Many people did not report break-ins because they thought they were minor, but burglary was a serious offence and could attract a 10-year jail sentence.
He rejected suggestions a "gang" of local youths had conducted the burglaries in an organised manner over an extended period.
"No, I don't think so ... I would think they all know each other... But I certainly wouldn't use the term gang."
He acknowledged community concerns about youth access to alcohol and said a community policing team was working on strategies to address the issue with the community.
"I think there [were] quite a few parents who didn't appreciate what was going on. Some were initially a wee bit defensive until they learned the extent of the offending. But most have been supportive since and that is a great start. They are now supporting the inquiry."
Wanaka Community Board chairman Lyal Cocks said the community forum formed this year to work on youth initiatives should report back soon on strategies to encourage good decision-making and a change of culture and attitude towards drinking.
• Queenstown Lakes District Council statistics show 36% of Wanaka's estimated 7221 dwellings (including visitor accommodation units) were unoccupied in 2006.
