Four youths have been arrested and police are looking for more people in connection to several incidents of commercial burglary in the Waikato District in the early hours of this morning.
They responded to a report of a ram-raid style burglary on Sandwich Road, St Andrews at 1.53am, a burglary on Duke Street, Cambridge at 3.49am and a burglary on Sloane Street, Te Awamutu at 4.42am.
At this stage, police said they believed the incidents in Cambridge and Te Awamutu were linked.
Police said the offenders allegedly fled the Sloane Street, Te Awamutu address in two vehicles and stole a vehicle from homeowners in Gillard Road, after one of their vehicles was brought to a halt.
Police said the stolen vehicle was also spiked and the offenders then allegedly fled on foot.
A police dog team stopped the four youths in the Bader Street area, police said.
In a media briefing this afternoon, Waikato District Commander Superintendent Bruce Bird said it was believed that shots were fired towards police scene guards at the Bader Street address where the youths were arrested, although this report was yet to be substantiated.
Police were providing support to the homeowners whose house was entered and car stolen, Bird said.
Bruce Bird Photo: AFP
They were shaken by the incident, and one suffered minor injuries, he said.
Police said their inquiries were ongoing and they believed 10 youths were involved in the burglary.
Bird said police understand the incidents overnight were alarming and unsettling to the community, but they were working hard to hold the offenders accountable.
"We will be stepping up patrols in retail areas, tasking additional staff to the investigation effort and working with our partners to address the root causes of youth offending.
"The community have had enough, we've had enough, and we want people to be safe and feel safe."
The four arrested youths will be charged with burglary.