Waikato Police have arrested three people following search warrants in the Hamilton and Huntly areas.
Two 15-year-olds and a 17-year-old will appear in the Hamilton Youth Court tomorrow, on three charges of unlawfully taking a motor vehicle and one charge of burglary.
At about 4:00AM on Sunday 20 November 2016, four offenders using three stolen vehicles drove one of the vehicles into Raglan BP service station and stole $42,000 worth of Tobacco and other grocery items.
One of the vehicles was left at the scene and the other two vehicles were recovered on Monday morning in Nawton, Hamilton.
The three youths have since been selling stolen items through online buy and sell pages.
Two other males have been arrested for receiving stolen property after being identified selling some of the stolen cigarette products on social media.
Police would like to remind members of the public that purchasing cigarettes they know are stolen can result in prosecution.
Anyone involved with the illegal selling or buying of tobacco or other products is likely to find themselves the subject of Police interest
ENDS
Issued by Police Media Centre