A BMW was stolen, crashed into a roundabout and a police car rammed following two burglaries in the Malone area of South Belfast.
Two teenagers have been arrested following the incidents which were reported in the early hours of Friday morning.
The first burglary was reported in the Myrtlefield Park area around 4.40am. A number of items were stolen from inside the property.
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Police have said the culprits then made their way along a number of properties and parked cars in the wider Malone area, trying handles to see if they could get in.
A second burglary was then reported at around 6am in the Malone Meadows area.
A number of items are believed to have been stolen including the keys to a grey BMW 218. The burglars then made off in this vehicle.
A short time later the burglars crashed the car into the Saintfield Road roundabout, having been speeding towards the M1.
This was then followed by a second hit-and-run collision which was reported at 8am outside Woodside Drive in Dunmurry.
The driver reversed into a stationary vehicle, pushing a Skoda into a fence, causing damage.
A few minutes after this incident, police said they stopped two men in the same vehicle at the Dunmurry Lane and Kingsway junction.
However, they proceeded to ram a police vehicle causing minor damage to the front.
The two men – age 18 and 19 – were arrested on suspicion of a number of offences including burglary, aggravated vehicle taking and motoring offences. They remain in custody.
PSNI Detective Sergeant Kennedy said: “This was good police work in terms of making these key arrests swiftly. Our teams involved in making these arrests include the Auto Crime Team, Interceptors, Air Support Unit, Local Policing Team, Dog Section and Criminal Investigation Department.
“Our enquiries are ongoing, and we would appeal to anyone with any information, or who may have been in the areas at the time and witnessed any suspicious activity, to contact us on 101, quoting reference number 278 23/06/23.
"We want to take this opportunity to encourage the public to report any suspicious activity because it could prove vital to our investigations. We would also urge residents to check on their neighbours.
"You can take a number of practical steps to secure your home and family. Never leave doors unlocked and do not to leave keys in an unsafe place (such as under doormats or flower pots), check who is at your door before opening and remember not to leave cash or valuable items on display.
"If you need any further advice or information, please contact us on 101 where you can speak to your local crime prevention officer."
