Police say they have pursued a man in a stolen vehicle from Adelaide's northern suburbs to the south of the city — circumnavigating the CBD and travelling all the way back north — before finally arresting him while he was trying to convince strangers to help him flee.
A police patrol allegedly spotted the man, of no fixed address, in a stolen silver Lexus on Bolivar Road at Burton, about 25 kilometres north of Adelaide's CBD, at about 9:30pm on Saturday.
The 31-year-old driver allegedly refused to stop for the patrol and was followed to Port Wakefield Road, where a police helicopter took over the pursuit.
Police said the man travelled north to the Northern Expressway, then doubled back south along Port Wakefield Road and continued towards Regency Park and east of the CBD through the Parade at Norwood.
Driver circumnavigated Adelaide's CBD before arrest, police say
Almost an hour into the pursuit, the driver had allegedly made it to Cross Road at Unley, about 5km south of the CBD.
Police said the car then travelled west and back up north, to Underdale, completing a loop of the CBD.
They said the man narrowly missed a police officer who was attempting to install road spikes on Holbrooks Road.
From there, the man was allegedly tracked by helicopter to the Port River Expressway, about 18 kilometres north of the CBD, where another set of road spikes successfully pierced the car's tyres at about 11:00pm.
Despite the damage to the car, the man allegedly drove about 13 kilometres north-west, to a service station on Salisbury Highway at Mawson Lakes.
There, police allege, he dumped the vehicle, stole a drink from the service station and jumped into the back of another car, telling the two members of the public sitting in the car to drive off.
But police officers moved in and arrested the man.
He was charged with a series of criminal offences including illegal use, engage in a police pursuit, acts to endanger life and breaching his bail conditions.
Police said no-one was injured during the chase.
The man was refused bail and will face court on Monday.
