Christchurch Police say the Eagle helicopter is already proving its worth in the city's crackdown on crime

The helicopter's been deployed as part of a two-month operation targeting youth offending but it's also assisting with other police work.

Christchurch Metro Area Commander, Superintendent Lane Todd says in the early hours of Sunday morning, a suspicious vehicle was tracked on Stanmore Road - leading to two arrests and the recovery of the stolen items.

He says the Eagle isn't an overnight fix and work continues on multiple fronts to prevent youth offending.