An alleged car thief was naked as part of a plan to evade a police dog when he was arrested in Maylands yesterday.

Police spotted the man, along with an accomplice, in an allegedly stolen Ford Laser in Mt Lawley about midday.

They caught up with the Ford in Maylands where the men dumped it on Joseph Street about 12.10pm.

Police dog Mako and the police air-wing were sent to try and find the men.

The men jumped over fences near Kathleen Street and Kirkham Hill Terrace allegedly trying to evade capture.

One of the offenders was arrested soon after but the second man led police on a two hour man hunt around Maylands.

In what appeared to be an attempt to avoid the police dog, the second man took off his clothes to throw Mako off his scent.

Several members of the public rang police to report a naked man running around Maylands, in particular across the nearby golf course.

That public information led to Mako being sent to a new area and the dog cornered the naked man a short time later.

Midland detectives were last night questioning the men.