Attributable to Detective Inspector Graham Pitkethley, District Manager Criminal Investigations, Waikato.

Waikato Police have arrested five youths in relation to a number of burglaries in the Waikato area in the past two days.

At around 4:20am on Monday 14 October five youths travelling in a stolen vehicle gained entry to a commercial premises in Cambridge using hammers. The premises and items inside were damaged.

A short time later, at around 5:40am, a store on Heaphy Terrace in Hamilton was broken into, with the group stealing several items and cash from the premises, causing damage to the store.

On Tuesday 15 October a second commercial premises was broken into in Cambridge. The group arrived in a stolen vehicle about 1.30am and again used hammers to gain entry before taking items from the store.

The youths then allegedly travelled in a second stolen vehicle to a service station on Naylor Street where a burglary took place, causing damage to the premises and taking items.

That same vehicle was then driven to a store on Cambridge Road, Hillcrest a short time later where hammers were once again used to gain entry to the premises and again items were stolen.

At around midday Tuesday, Police observed a vehicle that was reported stolen, travelling in Fairview Downs in Hamilton. Police signalled for the vehicle to stop, however it failed to do so. The vehicle was located a short time later in Nawton.

Five youths were located at a property a short distance from the vehicle, where they were taken into custody.

All five have since been referred to Youth Aid services.

We wish to reassure the public that Police are committed to responding to offending in our communities and to holding offenders to account for their actions.

We encourage the public to report offending as it happens by calling 111.

Other matters can be reported after the fact by going online to www.police.govt.nz/use-105 or calling 105.

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