Two men have been arrested following a spate of burglaries and car thefts across the Waikato and Bay of Plenty.
File photo. Photo: RNZ / Marika Khabazi
Police received a report of an aggravated burglary at a commercial premise at Tawawera Mall in Kawerau early yesterday morning.
Two men, aged 24 and 19, were arrested and face a raft of charges relating to the incident and other "serious and significant offending" allegedly carried out in Rotorua, Taupo, and Waikato, police said
They were both charged with two counts of arson, eight charges of burglary, two charges of unlawfully taking a motor vehicle, two charges of assault with a weapon and failing to stop for police.
The charges were related to at least ten incidents in Rotorua, Taupo and Waikato over the last month.
Police said they hoped the arrests would bring some reassurance to the victims of their crimes and to the wider communities.
The two men appeared in Whakatana District Court this morning, where they were remanded in custody until their next appearance on 31 August.