A man who led NT Police on numerous car chases Wednesday morning in Katherine, including one that saw a police vehicle rammed, was finally arrested more than five hours after the first pursuit started, NT Police said.

The first incident started around 5:45am, when police saw a white Toyota Landcruiser speeding on the Stuart Highway before pulling into a service station on Katherine Terrace.

Police reportedly pulled up behind the vehicle in an attempt to “engage the driver”, but police said he ignored them, got back into the vehicle and fled the scene “at speed”.

Police commenced a pursuit that saw the Landcruiser turn onto Quinn Street where it stopped quickly and allegedly turned in front of officers who “were unable to stop with the offending vehicle impacting the back quarter panel at low speed”.

Police said the vehicle then allegedly sped off again. Officers drove onto the Victoria Highway where the Landcruiser approached them from behind before “driving alongside members and deliberately ramming the police vehicle causing extensive damage to the back quarter panel”.

The vehicle then allegedly continued west on the highway before failing in an attempt to ram another police vehicle that was travelling east.

Police said they were forced to end the pursuit “for safety reasons” and then worked to identify the driver.

The 32-year-old man who was allegedly driving the Landcruiser was located later “driving a work truck, in the Tindal area but not within the Air Force base”, police said.

“The vehicle again fled the scene at speed before stopping at a location on Pearce Street,” police media director Mark Wilton said. “A cordon was put in place and at 10:50am, the man was arrested after negotiations with police.

“He currently remains in custody and is expected to be charged later today.

“Police are urging anyone with information to make contact on 131 444 and quote reference P26321436.”

Police Minister Lia Finocchiaro travelled to Katherine last week for community meetings about ongoing crime issues, pledging to provide additional resources and targeted enforcement as part of a “crack down” on crime.

“We are determined to restore safety and confidence in Katherine, and we will keep backing police and working with the community until we see lasting results,” she said last week.