A 14-year-old girl is in hospital after crashing a stolen car into a lamp post in Hamilton's CBD.

The girl was spotted by police driving the stolen vehicle shortly after 9pm last night and a brief pursuit followed before being abandoned due to the nature of her driving, said Senior Sergeant Andrew Mortimore.

"After the pursuit was abandoned staff found the car crashed into a lightpole on Victoria St."

The girl, who had been reported missing earlier that day, was found in the driver's seat with moderate injuries.

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She was taken to Waikato Hospital where she remained this morning.

Police had prepared a file for Youth Court, Mortimore said, but the girl's appearance date would depend on when she was discharged from hospital.