Two youths have been arrested after an early morning crime spree across Christchurch.

A police spokeswoman said the offenders stole two cars, before trying to burgle an address in Rolleston.

The first car was stolen from Hoon Hay and was later ditched for a second stolen car.

Police first received reports of an attempted burglary at a Rolleston address at 5.40am by the occupant of the house who called police.

The offenders fled the scene, but later returned to the address and used a vehicle to damage property before fleeing the scene again in the vehicle.

The police spokeswoman said at 6.50am police on Rolleston Drive spotted the vehicle and signalled it to stop – the driver failed to do so but police did not pursue the vehicle.

Then at 7.10am the vehicle came to a stop on Sawyers Arms Road and police took two youths into custody.

The stolen vehicle they were driving subsequently caught fire due to the damage it sustained during multiple instances of traffic offending and damage caused to the property in Rolleston.