A man is before the courts after allegedly damaging three police cars while on the run.
The man’s vehicle was seen at three different locations before successfully being apprehended by police using spikes on his car tyres.
A 43-year-old was arrested and due to appear in Hamilton Courts today, facing driving, assault and shoplifting charges.
Police were responding to reports of a theft at a store on Sloane St, Te Awamuta around 8.30pm yesterday.
When police arrived, a Toyota Landcruiser was leaving the scene and failed to stop when signalled by police. However, police did not pursue it.
Then, at 9pm, police received another report of theft in the same area, and the same alleged vehicle was spotted driving away at high speeds.
Police did not pursue the vehicle again due to “the inherent risk that the manner of driving placed upon other road users,” inspector Mike Henwood said.
Lastly, after a report of disorder at a McDonalds in Te Awamutu, police spotted the vehicle for the third time on SH3 and coordinated a response “leading to the vehicle successfully being spiked”.
“The vehicle continued to drive into Te Awamutu township where spikes were deployed a further two times on Bygrave Place, deflating the remainder of the vehicle’s tyres,” Henwood said.
The alleged offender then drove his vehicle into a stationary police car, “causing significant damage to the patrol vehicle. The officer inside the vehicle was thankfully uninjured”.
Still driving, the offender was blocked in by multiple police units, where he rammed into two more vehicles. No staff were injured.
The vehicle finally came to a rest where “police removed the man from the vehicle, and he was taken into custody”.
Henwood said the officers involved in this incident “demonstrated exceptional courage and commitment to public safety” and put themselves in harm’s way to “protect the community”.
