A man who stole a boat and trailer was chased by Bay of Plenty police for more than 80 kilometres early this morning.
The 48-year-old attached the boat to his vehicle in Te Aroha, but a neighbour saw what he was doing and called the police.
Police from Te Aroha, Cambridge and Matamata chased the man over the Kaimai Range.
But police say he wouldn't pull over, even after they deflated both the vehicle and boat trailer tyres with spikes.
The fleeing driver was finally stopped in Tauranga as he tried to get on to the harbour bridge on-ramp when the police pushed him to the side of the road.
The man was to appear in Tauranga District Court this afternoon on charges of reckless driving, failure to stop, driving whilst suspended and theft.
