A North Melbourne man, Idris Hassan, 27, has been charged with theft, assaulting a police officer and intentionally causing serious injury after allegedly driving a car into the front window of a cafe in Melbourne’s inner north.

Police say the 27-year-old North Melbourne man drove the silver Holden Rodeo along the footpath for two blocks on Rathdowne Street about 11.45am on Saturday, smashing tables at cafes Small Victories and Degani and destroying book tables at Alice’s Bookstore.

The man then turned the car north along Rathdowne Street, and smashed into Paragon Cafe, where a woman was injured and taken to hospital.

He has been charged with several offences, including theft of a motor vehicle, conduct endangering life, assaulting police, intentionally causing serious injury and numerous traffic offences.