A refugee family has been left shaken by an alleged violent home invasion in Adelaide's north-western suburbs overnight.

Key points: Natasha Vaye's family escaped the war in Liberia

Natasha Vaye's family escaped the war in Liberia A man is accused of breaking into her home and assaulting the occupants

A man is accused of breaking into her home and assaulting the occupants He then allegedly stole a car in a nearby street and led police on a lengthy chase





Pregnant mother-of-two Natasha Vaye said the alleged break-in of her Durham Terrace, Ferryden Park, home brought back memories of her past in the African country of Liberia.

Police said the arrested man broke into the house about 2:00am and assaulted the occupants, before stealing a car at a home on nearby Malcolm Street.

Several people reported seeing the grey Renault Koleos driving erratically into the CBD.

The driver then allegedly approached a man on Franklin Street and demanded his keys, but left emptyhanded.

The police helicopter chased the stolen car through the western suburbs, where it was involved in two separate crashes along Anzac Highway.

The driver allegedly aimed the vehicle at several police vehicles in the Brompton area, but police spiked the car's tyres.

The car eventually came to a stop on Port Road at Thebarton where the driver was arrested.

The 36-year-old from Kilburn has been charged with engaging in a police pursuit, aggravated serious criminal trespass, illegal use, robbery, driving without due care and driving unlicensed.

He has been refused bail and is expected to appear in the Port Adelaide Magistrates Court on Tuesday.

The stolen car had its tyres shredded after hitting road spikes. ( ABC News )

Home invasion brings back traumatic memories

Ms Vaye said she was asleep when she woke to the sound of her back door being smashed in.

She said she ran to the lounge room and saw a man trying to steal an iPad from the coffee table.

"He said to me, 'You keep quiet and don't make any noise otherwise I'll come back for you'," Ms Vaye said.

Ms Vaye's smashed back door. ( ABC News )

The man then allegedly demanded the keys to her car.

Fearing for her life, she handed them over and pleaded with him not to hurt her or her family.

"He was angry and aggressive, he was shouting. My older son had to cover himself with a blanket because he was so scared," she said.

Ms Vaye is a refugee who escaped war-torn Liberia in 2006.

She spent several months in a refugee camp in Guinea before being resettled in Adelaide.

"I never expected this in Australia. This is the worst thing ever," she said.

"For me to go through this today is like taking me back to my past, it's very hard.

"No-one deserves this — to be woken up at this that time of the morning and see a stranger in their house and threatening them."