Five NYPD officers were hurt in a crash while trying to catch a thief who had just stolen a mini-van in Staten Island Saturday morning, police said.
Residents called 911 to report seeing a man trying to break into vehicles near Pelton Avenue and Richmond Terrace in Randall Manor around 8 a.m.
When police arrived, the thief fled in the red van, according to police.
Several units searched for the vehicle and it was spotted at Lafayette Avenue and Brighton Avenue.
Cops pursued the van, which the suspect then crashed into a cop car at Pelton Avenue and Richmond Terrace.
But the chase wasn’t over.
The thief took off on foot through backyards in a chase that ended on Elizabeth Avenue, where he was taken into custody, police said.
One officer hurt his foot in the incident. The other officers suffered minor injuries, police said.
The thief was taken into custody with charges pending. His identity wasn’t immediately released.
