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A police car was rammed in a high speed chase after a "sophisticated" car theft ring broke into three car dealerships in Hamilton last night.
Senior Sergeant Eddie Carr said police were first alerted by the alarm at Fairview Motors on Te Rapa Rd just before midnight yesterday.
Police dogs tracked the thieves to a nearby street where a car had been waiting.
The thieves then broke into Admiral Cars in Frankton. They broke into a number of cars before being disturbed and fleeing in a waiting black ute.
Shortly afterwards, alarms were activated at Ebbetts Holden on Anglesea St.
"As we were responding a black ute similar to the one described earlier was spotted ... and a following patrol car was rammed by a silver Toyota Camry sedan," said Mr Carr.
"The silver car has reversed at speed into the patrol car, disabling it."
Police managed to stop the silver car but the driver escaped in the ute.
"The pursuit continued on to SH1 towards Cambridge but had to be abandoned because the offenders' vehicle was being driven too fast to ensure public safety."
The silver sedan had been stolen from a Manukau car painter last month and the black ute was stolen from a panel beaters on Kahikatea Dr in Hamilton.
Mr Carr said the recent break-ins were very similar to others in the area. No cars were taken but several were tampered with.
Earlier in the evening, Hamilton police were kept busy last night with three more chases and a bout of road rage.
Sergeant Dale Smith said the driver of a Nissan Skyline, who had already had his car "green stickered" sped away from police after being seen doing burnouts on Killarney Rd shortly before 8pm last night.
Mr Smith said the man drove through a petrol station forecourt during the chase.
"The driver's speed has varied from between 20 to 140km/h throughout the pursuit, with road spikes deployed at two points to no avail, his speed did however drop when he blew a gear in his gearbox," said Mr Smith.
Mr Smith said the driver just missed taking out another car during the chase who joined the pursuit to the man's home.
"When we got to the offenders home this bloke wanted to clobber him but we quickly got things under control," said Mr Smith.
At the same time, on the other side of town, police were dealing with a motorcyclist who was driving dangerously and 20 minutes another chase began, involving a third vehicle in Te Rapa, he said.
Hamilton City area commander Rob Lindsay said the behaviour of the three motorists involved in last night's incidents put the lives of police officers and the public in danger and would not be tolerated.
- with NZPA
