A man who dumped a stolen car in Oak Park this morning and tried to run from police has been arrested and charged.
The driver first came to police attention on the Tullamarine Freeway, near Bulla Road in Essendon, when a check of the car's registration plate confirmed the plates were stolen just before midnight.
Officers lost sight of the car as it pulled away from police and the Air Wing was called in to assist.
The white Hyundai sedan travelled through a number of suburbs including Pascoe Vale South, Parkville, Carlton North, Moonee Ponds and Essendon before the Air Wing spotted the driver dump property from the car in Lemnos Avenue, Pascoe Vale.
A Brunswick unit tried to intercept the vehicle a short distance away before the driver speed off and crashed into a nature strip tree as he fled from the scene.
With assistance from the Air Wing ground units moved in when the man dumped the car in Watt Avenue, Oak Park. He was arrested by the Dog Squad trying to hide in the front yard of a home.
Follow up enquiries also confirmed the car was allegedly stolen.
The 37-year-old Sydenham man has been charged with a range of offences including:
• theft of motor car,
• theft from motor car
• handle stolen goods
• possess property believed the proceeds of crime
• commit indictable offence whilst on bail
• various driving offences, and
He has been held over to appear before Broadmeadows Magistrates' Court today.
