Alleged car thief arrested while asleep on intersection

An alleged car thief has been arrested after police detected a stolen number plate attached to the vehicle they were sleeping in – in the middle of a busy highway intersection.

The offender reportedly sped away when police attempted to apprehend the driver on the Nepean Highway in Mornington – a suburb approximately 46km south-east of Melbourne.

Authorities identified the allegedly stolen vehicle at the intersection of Bentons and Racecourse roads at around 2:45am – with the white Hyundai SUV blocking the four lanes, according to police.

Police discovered the driver was asleep behind the wheel, placing 'stop sticks' – a strip of metal prongs designed to quickly deflate tyres – to block in the car while a Victoria Police helicopter was positioned above.

With any possible escape methods prevented, the alleged car thief was woken up by police attempting to make an arrest – but the 22-year-old Cranbourne man refused to cooperate.

Officers deployed capsicum spray to detain the offender, who was later treated for first aid before he was escorted to the police station and eventually assisted investigators with their enquiries.

Police did not specify if the man involved in the incident is facing any charges at this stage.

The investigation into the stolen vehicle is ongoing and Victoria Police is urging anyone with information about the incident to contact Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000 or submit an anonymous report on the website.