Police have arrested a youth on the side of a Hawke's Bay highway after a fleeing driver's high profile escapade through the region was brought to a halt by road spikes.
A police spokesman said the drama began when police were called to reports of a car being stolen from an address near the Napier Aquatic Centre in Onekawa about 3.15pm on Tuesday.
The vehicle was spotted on State Highway 2 and police observed it in holiday traffic as it travelled through Pakipaki, Pekapeka and then Te Aute, eventually devising a plan to spike it.
Witnesses said the spikes burst two tyres on the car, which eventually came to a halt between Otane and Waipawa on the side of SH2, about 50km from where the car was stolen.
The police spokesman said a youth was arrested and taken into custody. No injuries were reported.