Police pursuit: Seven youngsters taken into custody after overnight Auckland pursuit

A group of children were chased by police in a high-speed pursuit through West Auckland overnight.
Video / Hayden Woodward

Seven children aged 13 and 14 are in police custody after a high-speed police chase through parts of Auckland overnight.

Police have confirmed that the group of youngsters have been taken into custody after the stolen car they were in was first spotted in Swanson, West Auckland.

The 14-year-old driver has been charged with unlawfully takes a motor vehicle and reckless driving.

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Two passengers – both aged 14 – have been charged with unlawfully getting into a motor vehicle and are due to appear in the Waitakere Youth Court. The other passengers are being referred to Youth Aid.

A witness described dramatic scenes on the Northwestern Motorway, near Te Atatū, as the car involved headed straight towards his own vehicle at one point.

The car was driving down the motorway, west-bound, before suddenly doing an illegal U-turn to get onto the Te Atatū off-ramp.

The car involved was driving on its rims. Photo / Hayden Woodward

“It was running on its rims,” the witness told the Herald.

He said when the car suddenly did a U-turn on the motorway, he was driving onto the motorway and had to take evasive action as the car was coming straight towards him.

“It just missed me,” he said.

Police said their Eagle helicopter spotted a stolen Subaru Legacy travelling at “high speed” along Swanson Rd before it headed towards State Highway 16, city-bound.

The vehicle was spiked as it got off the motorway at the Nelson St off-ramp.

“The vehicle continued through the CBD area and travelled back onto SH16 west-bound, exiting the motorway at Te Atatū Rd towards Henderson.”

It is understood the vehicle had also driven through other parts of Auckland – including Henderson, Pt Chevalier, Western Springs and Grey Lynn.

A witness says the pursued car contained children. Photo / Hayden Woodward

The witness said several police vehicles were chasing the car involved and the Eagle helicopter was also hovering overhead at the time.

He later spotted at least six young people being detained by police on a street in Te Atatū.
A number of them were handcuffed and made to sit on the kerb.

At one point, a police officer was heard telling one of the group to stop spitting, the witness said.