By Hayley Gastmeier
A stolen vehicle being pursued by police drove through the grounds of Makoura College on Monday before coming to a stop in the school’s back field.
Three teenage occupants then ran from the car, fleeing police at the scene.
Senior Sergeant Mike Sutton said police had located the vehicle on River Rd at about 1pm, shortly after it had been reported stolen from Kuripuni.
The vehicle had failed to stop for police, and had fled down Johnstone St, before pulling into Makoura College.
“It pulled off the road, went past the gymnasium block and into the back field where it stopped”.
The 16-year-old driver, a Masterton male, was caught within minutes of the pursuit ending.
About 20 minutes later a police dog located the two passengers, a teenage boy and teenage girl, who were hiding by a creek on Makora Rd.
Mr Sutton said the three teens involved had all been aged under 17.
He did not confirm whether they were students of Makoura College.
Mr Sutton said the vehicle entering the school environment had “definitely” put students and teachers at risk.
But he said the bad weather had meant students and teachers had been inside and out of harm’s way at the time.
The speed at which the vehicle had reached was yet to be established.
The three teens were in police custody on Monday afternoon.
A spokesperson for Makoura College said they would not be making a statement until the police investigation had been concluded.
