Covid 19 coronavirus Delta outbreak: Lockdown chase - Police arrest Auckland man

Police received reports of someone driving errartically, including on the sidewalk.

A man accused of leading police on a wild chase through Auckland in a stolen car yesterday is set to appear in court, also charged with breaching Covid-19 lockdown orders as he allegedly committed the other crimes.

The Avondale resident, 26, was arrested yesterday morning.

Police said they first received reports of erratic driving near Panmure, including reports of the vehicle driving on the footpath, around 10.40am. Police were able to locate the car and a chase ensued, with the vehicle continuing to drive recklessly as it entered the Northern Motorway at Ellerslie, they said.

"The vehicle was spiked in Kumeu where it continued to travel westbound on SH16 for several minutes before it went off the road and crashed near Waimaukau," a police spokesperson said.

The man was taken into custody at about 11.20am, 40 minutes after the erratic driving was first reported.

The driver did not have significant injuries as a result of the crash, police said.

The 26-year-old has been charged with failing to stop for police while operating a vehicle in a dangerous manner, interfering with a transport facility - namely, State Highway 16 - with reckless disregard for the safety of the public and with intentionally failing to comply with an order made under the Covid-19 Public Health Response Act "by stealing a car, leaving his home address and then failing to stop for police".

The Covid-related charge carries a maximum penalty of six months' jail and a $4000 fine. Interfering with a transport facility carries a maximum penalty of 14 years' prison.

Fifty people have been charged with Covid-related offences between the start of the strict nationwide lockdown on August 18 and Wednesday evening. Police also issued 154 formal warnings during that period and received more than 9500 lockdown breach tips online and over the phone.