Two men have been arrested after a dramatic police chase involving a stolen caravan that ended in Wellington early this morning.
The incident began around 5 a.m. when police were alerted to the theft of a caravan from a Khandallah property. Officers quickly located the stolen vehicle and attempted to deploy road spikes. However, the driver avoided them and allegedly drove at the officer who laid them—fortunately, the officer was unharmed.
The vehicle, still towing the caravan, sped through Northland and into Aro Valley. A brief police pursuit was initiated but later abandoned due to the dangerous driving.
As the chase continued, the caravan tipped onto its side but remained attached to the vehicle. It struck several objects, including parked cars, and broke apart, scattering debris across the road.
The driver then entered the motorway through the Terrace Tunnel, exited at Tinakori Road, and crashed near Grant Road. The two occupants fled on foot but were quickly apprehended by police with the help of a dog handler around 5:30 a.m.
A 25-year-old and a 31-year-old man have been charged with multiple offences related to the theft and driving incidents. They are due to appear in Wellington District Court today.
Police urge anyone who discovered damage to their property in the affected areas to report it by calling 105 or submitting an online report (quoting job number 250304/8364).