A police officer spotted the car the pair are alleged to have used in an aggravated robbery at 10am. Photo: RNZ / Marika Khabazi
Police say two teenage boys who went on a night-long crime spree in Hawke's Bay were apprehended at Te Awanga 10 hours later.
Between midnight and 8.45am on 15 July, the 13- and 14-year-old allegedly stole eight vehicles, tried to steal four others, committed a burglary and an aggravated robbery.
In a statement, Detective Steve Leonard said the night's events left "a trail of victims and damaged vehicles".
A shop worker at an Onekawa dairy was threatened with a tyre iron as the pair grabbed tobacco products, ice creams, sweets and a cash drawer, he said.
But about 10am a senior constable spotted the stolen car that had been used in an aggravated robbery two hours earlier outside Te Awanga's 4 Square, he said.
Leonard said police were dismayed at the number of people who had become victims within a matter of hours.
"The trauma of being threatened while doing your job is unacceptable, and for some people, the loss of a car can have a profound impact on the life of them and their family."
The pair are due to appear in the Napier Youth Court on 1 August and face a number of charges relating to the events on 15 July, with one also facing charges relating to events in May and June.