A PAIR of alleged thieves led police on a high speed pursuit through inner-city Newcastle last night before crashing.

Police spotted the Toyota Lexon station wagon being driven at high speeds along Maitland Road about 10.30pm last night.

When they attempted to stop it the driver sped off and led them through a series of back streets through Mayfield before turning onto Beaumont Street.

Police were forced to call off the pursuit for safety reasons when the vehicle turned into Tudor Street.

But a short time later the car was found crashed on Donald Street.

The male driver and the female passenger had both fled on foot but a short search found the 18-year-old Eleebana woman hiding nearby.

She told police where to find the driver of the car who was located hiding under a house in Donald Street.

Police checks revealed the car had allegedly

been stolen from nearby soccer fields and police have also alleged they found several items stolen from a room in the Mayfield Hotel earlier in the evening, on the back seat of the car.

The 19-year-old Toronto man was charged with dangerous driving and break and enter while the woman was charged with being a passenger in a stolen

car, possession of a dangerous drug and break and enter.

Both will face Newcastle Local Court today.