'Not your everyday shopping trip' - Elderly man rammed before Hibiscus Coast police pursuit

A police spokesman said the driver was captured and arrested by police in Torbay. Photo / Google

An elderly man pushing a shopping trolley was rammed twice by a fleeing driver who also drove at a police officer before leading authorities on a pursuit in a stolen vehicle.

The Auckland woman who witnessed the event said she was shopping at Pak'n Save Silverdale with her father just after 3pm.

As they were walking out of the shop they noticed a man running in after parking his car in the middle of the carpark, blocking other cars from entering.

"I didn't think anything of it."

As she and her father began unloading the trolley into the boot of the car she noticed the man running out of the store.

He raced back into his parked car and then reversed into the trolley being held by her 85-year-old father.

He was knocked back, suffering a hit to the hip, at which point the man then tried to correct himself by driving forward before he reversed into the trolley a second time.

Her father had since been to the doctor and was given the "all clear", she said.

A short time later police arrived on the scene, she said.

"Then there was a police car coming down the aisle, they [the officers] jumped out and ran towards him, then he just drove straight at them, the woman had to dive out of the way."

Staff from Pak'n Save had come outside to observe what was happening, they told her the man had been caught stealing and had been chased out.

It was "not your everyday shopping trip," the witness said.

A police spokesman said the incident was being investigated but no officers were injured.

Police began to pursue the man but abandoned the pursuit quickly because of the "nature of the driving", he said.

Police yesterday said they had been searching for a person in relation to a stolen car.

The Eagle helicopter followed the fleeing vehicle until it was successfully spiked, which resulted in the driver running away.

Another chase ensued but the driver was captured and arrested by police in Torbay.

A 24-year-old man was due to appear in the North Shore District Court today facing a number of driving related charges.