The plans of five alleged car thieves were foiled by Rangiora Police early Wednesday morning.

The group was apprehended around 2am after officers tracked two stolen vehicles to Pegasus, north of Christchurch.

The cars had been taken earlier in the night, one from Bishopdale and the other from St Albans.

With only one way out of Pegasus, police deployed road spikes and waited.

“They kept driving for a short distance, but the spikes did their job and both cars eventually came to a stop,” Senior Sergeant Stephen McDaniel said.

All five, a mix of boys and young men, were arrested without further incident. However, officers discovered another vehicle in the area had been targeted.

“At Pegasus, we’ve established there was an attempt to steal a third vehicle, but all they’ve done is break a window and make a mess of the ignition. Sadly, that’s a headache for yet another car owner,” McDaniel said.

The five individuals are aged between 13 and 23. The youngest has been referred to Youth Services, while the remaining four will appear in the Christchurch District Court and Christchurch Youth Court on a range of charges. These include unlawful taking of a motor vehicle, attempting to unlawfully take a motor vehicle, unlawful possession of an air rifle, and failing to stop for Police.

McDaniel said car theft remains a persistent issue.

“We urge vehicle owners to purchase immobilisers or steering wheel locks if they have to park on the street.

“Even attempted theft causes real disruption. Offenders often do significant damage to the ignition trying to start a car. This offending has a real impact on real people’s lives, and we need the community’s help to prevent it.

“If you see suspicious activity, such as people casing out vehicles, the best thing you can do is call 111 immediately.”