A walk-along with police taking part in 'Operation Relentless' exposed the focus on prevention in the battle to combat youth crime.

Summer days are bringing a spike in youth crime though police are determined kids at a loose end will be kept under control over the break.

While over-all youth crime is declining, the holiday period tends to bring a spike in teen offending.

In the last few weeks, an Auckland Indian restaurant has been terrorised by a group of youths, seven teenagers packed into a car crashed after fleeing police, three underage drivers crashed a stolen car, and a Gisborne teenager was jailed after a police car chase and burglaries.

Jason Dorday A walk-along with police taking part in 'Operation Relentless' exposed the focus on prevention in the battle to combat youth crime.

Principal Youth Court judge Andrew Becroft said that despite figures which showed police efforts to combat youth crime had paid off, spikes during different time periods should not be ignored.

"What we know about youth crime is that it typically takes place when there is an opportunity for young people to congregate in groups," he said.

Spikes in youth crime occurred during school holidays, particularly during the longer summer break over December and January, Becroft said.

While youth crime tended to spike in the holiday periods, the overall figures had decreased in recent years.

Police statistics showed the number of child and youth offenders charged in court had decreased by 50 per cent in the past five years.

The number of minors apprehended had decreased by 40 per cent over the same time period.

This year, police undertook "Operation Relentless" involving more than 80 police who targeted youth crime in hotspots around Auckland.

Eight minors were apprehended during the operation, for a variety of offences that included aggravated robbery and breaching court bail.

Three youths were arrested, and several young people returned home after being found to be truant, or unaccompanied by a parent or guardian.

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District co-ordinator and Senior Sergeant Jason Edwards said the key idea of the operation was stopping crime before it started.

"We want that awareness. If they hear that we're around the city and think 'I won't come into town' - that's perfect."

Sergeant William Lance said people would often come up and ask the officials: "What's going on?"

Exposing the community to police presence meant youths would be aware that they were being monitored, Lance said.

"We're just trying to just help the community to help itself."

Targeted crime hotspots included the railway network and train stations - key transport modes for youths coming into the central city.

The police also stopped almost 500 drivers at road checkpoints to focus on alcohol-related harm.

The day-long operation was part of the district's ongoing strategy to protect those who are at a high risk of offending, and protect those who often become victims of it.

During the operation police visited the homes of 30 youths in the community who had been identified as at risk because of their past behaviour.

In 2014 there were over 13,000 offences attributed to young people under the age of 17 in the Auckland City Police District, with a particularly high percentage of these occurring in the central city.

The initiative comes after several incidents of youth crime in past weeks.

Mt Eden local Murphy O'Neal had an unwanted surprise on Saturday night when he caught two youngsters who had just broken into his car.

O'Neal said both looked to be between 13 and 17, with the elder appearing to be the ringleader.

"For lack of a better words, he looked like Eminem."

Aware that he could do little to physically stop the minors, O'Neal called the police, who arrived at the scene after the minors had left.

Meanwhile in Glen Eden, a community meeting focusing on youth crime had been called, after the targeting of an Indian restaurant by a group of youths.

Senior Sergeant Edwards is also an acting youth services officer, which he said gave him a good insight into the kind of kids that are offending,

"It's neat to have that local knowledge of the kids that are around. We play our part in identifying the youths that most need this kind of support."