Police ask for witnesses to Whanganui CBD crash which they believe is linked to a series of crimes

Police want to speak to anyone who saw this Toyota Yaris driving on State Highway 3, or in the Whanganui CBD on Tuesday afternoon. Photo / Finn Williams

Police are asking for information on a man who they believe committed a series of crimes in the Whanganui area on Tuesday afternoon.

Police said at about 2pm on Tuesday, they were notified of a vehicle stolen from a rural address in Turakina.

The vehicle was sighted heading north on State Highway 3, towards Whanganui.

In response to this, police successfully deployed spikes, which deflated one of the car's tyres.

Police say the vehicle continued to drive dangerously through several streets in the Whanganui CBD and eventually came to a stop after crashing into another vehicle at the intersection of Guyton St and St Hill St.

The man then got out of the car and stole a car from a nearby business, police said.

That vehicle was found abandoned in St Johns Hill a short time later.

Police then responded to a report of a burglary after a man entered a residential property in the area of Halswell Street and Peat Street.

Police believe all of these incidents are linked and would like to hear from anyone who saw a grey Toyota Yaris driving on SH3 or in the Whanganui CBD on Tuesday afternoon, or anyone who saw the collision at the Guyton St intersection by the Whanganui District Council.

Police are also interested to speak to anyone who saw any suspicious activity in the Halswell and Peat St area, also on Tuesday, between 2.30pm and 4pm.

Anyone with information should contact police via 105, or anonymously via Crime Stoppers by contacting 0800 555 111, and quoting the event number P051430232.