An unlicensed driver has been charged following a pursuit with a stolen vehicle in the state's Northern Tablelands yesterday.
Shortly after 1.45pm (Thursday 29 April 2021), officers attached to New England Police District received reports a white Mazda utility had been stolen from outside a home on Dumaresq Street, Armidale.
Officers from Traffic and Highway Patrol Command commenced patrols of the area and located the vehicle at a roadworks site a short time later.
Police attempted to stop the vehicle and will allege the driver accelerated away in excess of the speed limit.
A pursuit was initiated which continued for about 20km.
The vehicle stopped after road spikes were successfully deployed at Commissioners Waters, east of Armidale.
The driver, a 23-year-old man, was removed from the vehicle and arrested.
Checks revealed the man had never held a driver's licence, and a roadside drug test allegedly returned a positive result.
He was taken to Armidale Police Station and charged with take and drive conveyance without consent of owner, police pursuit, never licensed person drive vehicle on road, refuse or fail to submit to oral fluid test, and custody of knife in public place.
The man was bail refused to appear before Inverell Local Court today (Friday 30 April 2021).
Inquiries are continuing.
