A man faces charges after a Police patrol caught him napping in a stolen vehicle in the small hours.
Acting Detective Inspector Simon Harrison says a Crime Squad unit was travelling through Rānui at around 1.45am.
"At first the night shift team came across a vehicle parked on Bahari Drive with the door wide open and the driver sound asleep.
"On further checks, the vehicle was showing as stolen."
The vehicle had been reported stolen from the North Shore area in a burglary earlier this month.
"The lone man was startled awake when our staff approached him, locating a screwdriver securely resting in his lap," acting Detective Inspector Harrison says.
"We arrested the 21-year-old man without further incident."
He has been charged with unlawfully taking a motor vehicle and will appear in the Waitākere District Court next week.
Police enquiries are ongoing into the initial burglary in Wairau Valley.
