KEY POINTS:
A disqualified driver who sped along Auckland's southern motorway in a stolen car this morning was arrested after trying to jump over a police car.
Auckland police spokeswoman Noreen Hegarty said police were alerted after the car's owner, who was travelling in another vehicle, saw his car being driven south along the motorway about 11.45am by someone he didn't recognise.
The police helicopter Eagle was notified and tracked the car until it turned off at an off-ramp by the Sylvia Park shopping complex.
"It seems that the driver saw some marked police cars there, at which stage he took off at a great rate of knots," Ms Hegarty said.
She said police did not chase the car but kept an eye on it as it sped through suburban Onehunga and Mt Wellington before getting on to the motorway heading north.
"Once back on the motorway the car was weaving through the lanes at high speed before doing a u-turn and heading the wrong way up the Wellington St on-ramp (in the central city area)," Ms Hegarty said.
"Soon afterwards his two left tyres gave out after he had been driving up traffic islands and kerbs, and he lost control near Nelson St.
"He tried to run off down Nelson St and tried to jump over a moving marked police car but failed and was arrested."
A 25-year-old man from the south Auckland suburb of Takanini has been arrested and faces numerous charges including reckless driving, possessing a stolen car, possessing goods to be used in the commission of a crime and driving while disqualified.
- NZPA
