Hawke’s Bay: Police say car thief undone by his ‘horrendous driving’, crashing into ‘numerous’ other vehicles

Police say they tracked the driver through 111 calls as he drove through Hawke's Bay.

Police tracked down and arrested a Hawke’s Bay man in a stolen car after his “horrendous driving” caused “numerous” crashes.

The 31-year-old man’s offending is alleged to have started when he stole a vehicle from outside a Taradale Rd business about 8.30am on Tuesday, Inspector Angela Hallett said.

Police received multiple 111 calls reporting the man’s dangerous driving and numerous collisions with other vehicles.

This helped officers to keep track of the driver’s location.

An officer later spotted the man driving down the wrong side of Omahu Rd, before he collided with another vehicle.

The driver was taken into custody and is facing multiple charges.

Hallett said the police wanted to thank people who called 111 when they saw the “horrendous driving”.

“Those calls were critical in helping us locate the alleged driver and arrest him,” she said.