Three teenagers, including two from Dunedin, have been arrested after stealing cars, petrol and cash in a South Island joyride, police say.
Sergeant Rene Aarsen said two brothers, aged 16 and 17, from Dunedin stole a car from the city on Tuesday and drove to Lumsden before ditching it and stealing another one.
The pair picked up a 14-year-old Dunedin girl and a 17-year-old Oamaru man before stealing petrol and money from honesty boxes in a "driving crime spree'' between Dunedin, Kaiapoi, Blenheim, Nelson and Reefton, he said.
A police pursuit was abandoned yesterday before the car hit road spikes and crashed in to the back of another vehicle near Lake Brunner.
The occupants "decamped'' but were arrested by Greymouth police soon after, Sgt Aarsen said.
The brothers were "well-known'' to police and "bloody lucky they didn't kill someone'', he said.
In a statement, Sergeant Brent Cook, of Greymouth, said all three young men were facing charges in relation to stealing the cars, several petrol drive-offs and stealing from honesty boxes.
The driver was also facing charges of failing to stop for police and other driving offences, he said.
The trio would appear in the Greymouth District Court today.
The 14-year-old had been referred to Youth Aid.
