Police chase out west comes to a sticky end

The occupant of this stolen vehicle ended his getaway in the mud near the new Northwestern Motorway extension. Photo / Richard Robinson

A man found himself in a sticky situation when the vehicle in which he was fleeing police got stuck in mud in West Auckland yesterday.

Police, who had chased the man for more than 12km at speeds of more than 100km/h, walked down the embankment, opened the driver's door and arrested him at 10am.

The vehicle was left in almost wheel-deep mud on the embankment by a new road that will link State Highway 16 to Brigham Creek Rd near Kumeu.

Officers began pursuing the man, 31, after he was seen speeding from the scene of a motorcycle theft at a sales yard in Glenfield about 10 minutes earlier.

He led police along Upper Harbour Drive and Hobsonville Rd but the pursuit ended when he crossed the centre lane and drove down the bank which leads to the new road's muddy foundations.

Police allege the man was working with another man to steal a motorcycle. Officers were yesterday still looking for the motorcycle and its rider, who fled the scene as the chase began.

The man was to appear in the North Shore District Court today charged with burglary, dangerous driving, failing to stop for police and receiving a stolen vehicle.