A pilot boot-camp participant - allegedly went on a three day crime spree in Hamilton, less than a month after leaving the youth-justice residence

Police confirmed to our newsroom a 15-year-old was arrested and charged with two counts of burglary and three of unlawfully taking a motor vehicle.

It follows incidents between November 9-and-12.

The teen was one of 10 young men in the Government's military-style youth academy pilot, which ended its residential component mid-October.

Legislation to make the programme permanent passed its first reading in the House yesterday.