Police on hunt for Hamilton ram-raiders

Police pursued, and the car was eventually stopped with road spikes at Hamilton's Mill St. Photo / Supplied

Police on the lookout for thieves who ram-raided a service station near Hamilton last night, instead became embroiled in a chase to catch a man and woman who allegedly had methamphetamine in their car.

While attempting to flee police at speed, the 32-year-old man in the front passenger seat leaned over to take control of the steering wheel from the 21-year-old woman who was driving.

The incident happened after a report of a ram-raid on a Te Awamutu service station about 11.30pm.

Thieves in a light-coloured station-wagon made off towards Hamilton with cigarettes and tobacco.

A police unit responding to the incident came across a white Holden Commodore station wagon at an intersection of Airport Rd and State Highway 3, Sergeant Wayne Shanks of Waikato police said.

"As they attempted to stop it, the female driver has attempted to flee police at speed," he said.

Police pursued, and the car was eventually stopped with road spikes at Hamilton's Mill St.

An "unusual combination of charges" were laid, Mr Shanks said.

Both the man and woman now face driving, methamphetamine and demanding with menace charges, while the man also faces a charge of resisting police, and driving while disqualified.

"It appears at various points while the pair were attempting to avoid capture, the male in the front passenger seat has taken over the steering of the vehicle -- behaviour that we would describe simply as reckless in terms of their own and other road users' safety," Mr Shanks said.

The inquiry into the unrelated Te Awamutu service station burglary was continuing, he said.