A police dog unit successfully tracked four teenagers after an alleged ram raid at a store in a Wellington suburb.

Police said the young men were taken into custody within an hour of the early morning raid.

Officers were called shortly after 2.10am to reports of multiple alarm activations at a store on Tauhinu Rd, Miramar.

Officers were on the scene within five minutes. They found the front door of the store smashed in and a vehicle dumped at the scene.

Police said another vehicle of interest was then identified on traffic cameras.

“A police dog unit tracked from the initial scene to a property in Booth St, Miramar, where officers discovered the vehicle of interest, the four alleged offenders, and the large amount of alcohol they had stolen.”

A 16-year-old, two 17-year-olds and a 19-year-old appeared in court in Wellington today on charges of unlawfully taking a motor vehicle and of burglary. They have been bailed to reappear later this month.

Wellington area commander Inspector Dean Silvester said he was pleased to identify those responsible for the burglary so quickly.

“Receiving a 111 call so promptly, and the expert work of our police dog unit and attending frontline staff, has led to these quick arrests.”