An ACT police car was rammed and badly damaged and a near-new Ford Ranger 4WD written off in Karabar after a series of high-speed incidents around Canberra and across the border in NSW.
The incidents culminated in one ACT police officer suffering minor injuries from the collision and the male driver of the stolen Ranger fleeing the scene, but he was later arrested.
The chain of incidents began around 4am in Downer, when a house was burgled while the owners slept and the keys stolen to the Ford Ranger parked in the driveway.
The thief was sighted on a number of occasions driving at high speed in the ACT and later in NSW.
Around 11.30am on Wednesday, ACT police detected the stolen car in Mackellar.
The officers then followed this vehicle multiple times across Belconnen and north Canberra, but were forced to disengage when the 4WD began driving erratically and crossing to the wrong side of the road.
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The stolen car was later located in Queanbeyan by an ACT traffic officer in an unmarked vehicle.
The driver of the 4WD has rammed the police vehicle on Southbar Road, Karabar and then both spun off the road and down an embankment.
The two cars also collided with a third car during the crash.
A house was also slightly damaged as the cars pinballed down the embankment and through the front garden.
Police are seeking more information from the public to assist their investigation. Anyone who has dash cam footage of the Ranger 4WD being driven erratically is urged to call Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000.
