A boy in a stolen car was stopped only after the police deployed spikes on a West Coast highway today.
The police said the 14-year-old stole a Nissan Bluebird from Murchison on Wednesday and then stole petrol from the Lewis Pass garage this morning.
A spokesperson said the car was spotted about an hour later, north of Hanmer Springs.
The boy did not obey signals to stop and was pursued before officers abandoned the chase because he was driving dangerously.
The car was eventually stopped by the spikes and the boy was found hiding in a hedge beside the road.
He was arrested and charged with unlawfully taking a car, theft of petrol, failing to stop and driving while forbidden.
