Several witnesses watched as an Oamaru man tried and failed to break into a parking meter in central Oamaru on Sunday evening.
Police arrested the 32-year-old shortly after he took a jemmy to a Thames St parking meter in an unsuccessful attempt to open it about 5.35pm, a police spokeswoman said.
When he was located by police, the man was found to be in breach of bail conditions.
With him was an Auckland man who had three warrants to arrest.
Both were scheduled to appear in the Dunedin District Court.
