24 May 2019

Early morning rampage included ramming cars, theft and burnt out vehicles

3:23 pm on 24 May 2019

A man has been arrested after an early morning thieving and car-ramming rampage in Mid Canterbury, which ended with two stolen cars set on fire.

Close up of a police car.

Photo: RNZ / Cole Eastham-Farrelly

The 42-year-old man rammed a security guard's car while fleeing an Ashburton service station he had taken items from at about 4.30am.

Police later caught him trying to commit a second burglary in Mayfield, where he rammed a police officer's car.

The car he was driving, which was stolen, was found alight near Mt Somers, and the man was seen in a second stolen vehicle near Christchurch airport.

After a short police pursuit, during which he avoided road spikes, police found the second car alight nearby.

A third vehicle was later pulled over by the police in central Christchurch, and a man taken into custody.

Police said there were no injuries.