A teenage joyrider who bragged about being “the thief of the North-east” was behind bars today after fleeing from police in a 4X4 then crashing into a police car.

Jordan Chesser, 17, led officers on a high speed chase in an Audi Q5, driving dangerously along roads in Inverurie and along the A96 dual carriageway towards Aberdeen on December 12 last year.

He drove the wrong way round roundabouts and forced other motorists to take evasive action to avoid a collision.

A police helicopter was sent to the scene to help officers track down the teenager and his partner in crime, Ricky Forrester, with horrified residents posting updates on social networking siteson the operation which went on for several hours.

Swarms of police cars flooded the Northfield area of Aberdeen where the bashed Audi Q5 was eventually recovered on Deansloch Terrace at about 1pm that day.

The teenager was arrested after colliding into a police car, damaging both vehicles.

Ricky Forrester, 21, was also arrested during the police operation. He was caught driving a blue BMW X5 on the A90 at Balmedie and also ended up in Inverurie.

Forrester admitted a string of car crimes at the city’s sheriff court. He pled guilty to driving the vehicle, knowing that the vehicle had been taken without the owner’s permission, and driving dangerously at excessive speed failing to stop for police officers in pursuit.

The pair also admitted driving while disqualified without insurance.

Chesser was locked up for 27 months in February for similar crimes. He racked up 14 offences over three months – including dangerous driving and the reset of stolen cars.

At the time he was not old enough to hold a driving licence and overtook a police car at speeds of more than 70mph.

Sheriff William Summers, who dealt with the case, described his driving as “appalling” and said it was a great matter of fortune that no-one was hurt.

The car crime gang member appeared in court for the first time last year after he was caught taking a stolen Range Rover for a joyride around Aberdeen.

On Tuesday he admitted driving the Audi Q5, despite knowing that he did not have the owner’s permission, as well as a charge of dangerous driving.

The case was adjourned until yesterday when Forrester lodged guilty pleas.

Forrester and Chesser, who were both described in court paperwork as prisoners of Polmont and HMP Grampian, were both remanded in custody.

Sentence was deferred until next month for the preparation of background reports.