13-year-old leads police on 90km/h car chase

Police were "stunned" after a 13-year-old boy drove a stolen car through red lights and at up to 90km/h through central Dunedin during a 3km car chase.

When the early 1980s model Toyota Corolla finally pulled over in South Rd, police found it had been driven by a youngster so small he could barely see over the dashboard.

"It was a kid and that's what blew me away," said Sergeant Mel Aitken.

During the pursuit, the vehicle sped through red lights, crossed a main street, Princes St, without checking for approaching traffic and drove dangerously over judder bars at more than 70km/h.

Ms Aitken, who supervises the Dunedin police strategic traffic unit, said it was the worst incident involving an underage driver she had seen in the city is seven years of police work.

"It was absolutely remarkable that nothing happened-there was no crash, no injuries.

"The potential for disaster was extreme" throughout the three-minute chase, she said. The driver was clearly inexperienced and lacked any judgment behind the wheel.

The 13-year-old and a 14-year-old companion in the car were referred to Youth Aid.

Police also recovered a Mitsubishi Sigma, allegedly stolen earlier by the 13-year-old.

Such incidents highlighted the need for parental vigilance about children's activities, police said.

It all began at 6.44am on Saturday when Ms Aitken, flashing the lights of her marked patrol car, tried to pull over the southbound Toyota for a routine drink-driving check.

The Toyota accelerated away, driving through red lights on the southbound one-way street system.

The fleeing vehicle continued southbound before turning right into Police St, up Carroll St and into Maitland St, driving over several judder bars.

Apparently realising that further flight was futile, the boy pulled over on South Rd.

"It was pretty shocking driving," Ms Aitken said.

She was "just grateful" that the car could be returned to its owner and that no one had been killed or injured.

- OTAGO DAILY TIMES