West Auckland residents wake to boom as police chase ends in crash

A suspected stolen car is left wedged on a retaining wall in west Auckland after a crash during a police chase. Photo / Hayden Woodward

A fence just metres from a house is all but wiped out after a car lost control in a high speed police chase in west Auckland overnight.

Residents of Te Atatu Rd were woken around 1.30am by the wail of sirens before a massive boom as a Mazda Demio left the road and destroyed a large section of a white picket fence.

Police said the chase started on Gloria Ave in neighbouring Te Atatu Peninsula when they attempted to stop a vehicle they suspected was stolen.

The vehicle fled and police followed with lights and sirens.

Within a couple of minutes the car had crashed on Te Atatu Rd, just under 3km away.

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A homeowner who spoke to a photographer at the scene said he could hear the sirens drawing closer moments before the car took out his picket fence.

"I heard a loud screech of the brakes, next minute this massive bang," he said.

"It was a humongous noise.

"I knew a car had crashed into the fence.

The man said he went outside to investigate only to see a person scarpering away from the ruined garden area.

A large portion of the Te Atatu Rd property fence is destroyed after a crash during a police chase. Photo / Hayden Woodward

"He took off down the driveway, down towards the back," said the man.

"The police were all over the place, the dog handler was here pretty quick, straight down the driveway after him."

He said there were two people in the car when it barrelled into his fence.

Thankfully a bank of mature trees in his front yard had protected his house from harm.

"We are lucky, we have the fence and trees in the way or the vehicle would have gone straight through and into the lounge.

Police say the pursuit started in the neighbouring suburb after the driver refused to pull over. Photo / Hayden Woodward

"We've lived here six to seven months. It hasn't happened since we've been here - but cars crashing into the fence has happened before."

A police spokesperson said no one in the fleeing car suffered any injuries.

The driver was taken into custody and due to appear in Waitakere Youth Court next week.