Police generic Photo: RNZ / Richard Tindiller
A set of road spikes were stolen from police while they were recovering a stolen car in Hawke's Bay.
On Sunday morning, police located a stolen vehicle travelling in Ōtāne.
Senior Sergeant Craig Vining said they were able to spike the blue Toyota Aqua hatchback at the intersection of Higginson Street and State Highway 2.
"Police then monitored the vehicle as it travelled south through to Waipawa and then into Waipukurau," he said in a statement.
Vining said due to the vehicle driving at excessive speed police did not pursue but later located the vehicle abandoned in a field on Pōrangahau Road.
"Five youths were located climbing an adjacent hill and are being dealt with by Youth Aid Services," he said.
But despite recovering the car, the road spikes were another matter.
"Unfortunately, the set of road spikes were uplifted by a member of the public before they could be recovered from the roadside in Ōtāne," Vining said.
"If you have any information on the whereabouts of the road spikes we ask you to please contact us."