Police Seek Information After Southland Vehicle Thefts Lead to Arrests

• Police arrested two youths in connection with Southland vehicle thefts and tampering incidents.
• Authorities are investigating potential links between recent car thefts and tampering reports.
• Public assistance is requested to provide any information or video footage of the incidents.

Two young people have been charged, and Police are seeking further information following a series of motor vehicle thefts and tampering incidents in Southland.

The arrests occurred in Balclutha after Police found a vehicle stolen from Flemington Road, Woodlands Invercargill, parked outside a dairy on Essex Street around 11am on Sunday, 14 July. The two youths were located nearby and have been taken to Dunedin Youth Court today, Monday, 15 July. They face charges of unlawfully taking a motor vehicle and possessing instruments for conversion.

In addition, Police received multiple reports of cars being tampered with and two vehicles stolen from Invercargill and Gore addresses overnight on Saturday and early Sunday morning. Investigations are ongoing to establish any connections between these incidents.

“Police work hard to hold offenders who target our tight-knit Southland communities to account, and this is a good example of our inter-area coordination,” said Detective Senior Sergeant Greg Baird, Southland Area Investigations Manager.

Authorities continue to request public assistance to aid their investigations. Further vehicle tampering reports were noted on Elizabeth and Ardwick Streets in Gore, John Street in Heidelberg, and Nelson Street in Strathern.

If you have any video footage or witnessed vehicle tampering or theft in Gore or Invercargill overnight on Sunday, 14 July, please contact Police. You can report information by calling 105 or anonymously via Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111. Please reference file number 240714/1339.