A TEENAGER suspected of carrying out most of Chester-le-Street's recent sneak-in burglaries has slipped through police's grasp after a high-speed car chase.

The 17-year-old is still on the run after evading officers in patrol cars, on foot and in a police helicopter.

The local youth has been targeting houses all over the town, taking car keys from the kitchen and stealing their cars parked nearby.

Police say he is largely responsible for a spate of sneak-in burglaries, which have prompted detectives to repeatedly warn residents of the dangers of leaving valuables lying around near the back door, even when they are at home.

On Friday, the chief suspect was spotted behind the wheel of a car stolen from a house in the town the night before.

He was chased through the street by officers in a patrol car who radioed for aerial back-up.

The suspected thief then abandoned the vehicle, and was chased on foot by officers, but eventually disappeared, despite the attentions of a police helicopter overhead.

Detective Inspector Andy Reddick, of Durham and Chester-le-Street police, said: "He is a 17-year-old local man who is known to the police.

"We suspect him of carrying out a variety of sneak-in burglaries where car keys, and sometimes cars, have been stolen.

"He is thought to have carried out thefts all over Chester-le-Street including the Holmlands area and North Chester.

"He was spotted on Friday but he slipped through our grasp. We have been looking for him since then.

"If anyone knows where he is we need to hear from them.

"We need to find him soon because we are worried somebody might get injured as a result of his dangerous driving."

Since the turn of the year a spate of burglaries has plagued the town. Handbags, cash and benefit books have all been taken and police believe it is just a tiny number of thieves, possibly as few as two, doing the brunt of them.

Anyone with information should call 0191-388 4311