Police chase ends when alleged thief crashes into prison farm

A police pursuit came to an abrupt end when an alleged car thief crashed into a jail.

The alleged thief will face court today.

An alleged thief has driven himself straight into jail while trying to escape police.

The man, Tony Johnson, was caught up in a high-speed police chase, but had his shot at a perfect getaway scuppered when as he tried to evade the long arm of the law, he crashed into the grounds of a minimum security farm.

Police arrested him as he trampled straight into the paddock of St Helier’s Prison farm in the NSW Hunter Valley.

Mr Johnson had allegedly stolen a tipper truck from Surry Hills in central Sydney on Monday, and was allegedly spotted by police driving the truck near Gloucester in the Hunter Valley.

Mr Johnson allegedly dumped the truck at a local property, police didn’t catch up with him until he allegedly fled from a service station in Scone, in the Upper Hunter, without paying yesterday morning, in another stolen vehicle — a Silver Toyota Hilux.

Two minutes later, a high speed chase came to an abrupt end when he allegedly crossed a nearby rail-line and crashed into the paddocks of the prison, police said.

The prison farm is a minimum security correctional facility where inmates are taught beef production and vegetable farming.

Mr Johnson allegedly fled across the fields while police chased him on foot.

Mr Johnson will face Muswellbrook Local Court today after being charged with 15 offences including stealing a motor vehicle, damaging property, police pursuit, and resisting officer in execution of duty.