Police use Taser, pepper-spray on man after pursuit

The stolen car involved in the chase.

A Dunedin man was pepper-sprayed and Tasered by police after allegedly assaulting officers following an early morning pursuit through the city in a stolen vehicle.

Police were called to Nairn St, Kaikorai, at 1.45am following a report a commercial van was being broken into, Southern deployment co-ordinator Senior Sergeant Craig Brown, of Dunedin, said.

The alleged offender was caught in a van by a resident and "has allegedly been punched for his troubles".

The man fled, but 10 minutes later a police patrol spotted a car driving in Taieri Rd. That vehicle, a Holden Commodore, had been reported stolen from Nairn St, minutes after the initial assault call, he said.

The Holden had also hit a parked car in Nairn St.

"Attempts were made to stop it, but the vehicle failed to stop and a pursuit began."

The car then turned into Dalziel Rd, with the pursuit going down Mt Grand Rd, Townleys Rd, Kaikorai Valley Rd, before ending up on the Southern Motorway.

The six-minute pursuit ended when the stolen vehicle collided with a concrete median barrier on the motorway.

The male driver resisted the two officers, with pepper-spray and a Taser used before he was taken into custody, Snr Sgt Brown said.

The man recorded a breath-alcohol level of 764mcg. The legal limit is 400mcg

Snr Sgt Brown praised the members of the public for contacting police immediately, "this helps us respond in the best possible way".

The man who was assaulted, the officers and the alleged offender received only minor or no injuries.