A criminal attempting to escape the police behind the wheels of a stolen classic Chevrolet Chevelle in Utah this month, was brought to an abrupt stop when he crashed the vehicle.

The man behind the wheel of the purloined auto was unharmed and a foot chase ensued, although the same cannot be said for the car, which is going to need some serious restoration work in order to bring it back up to scratch.

Classic cars can unfortunately be prime targets for thieves, not only because of their naturally desirable nature, but also because they may have far less sophisticated security systems than modern vehicles.

People who own classic cars are advised to keep them as safely and securely as possible, preferably in a garage or other protected area.

Insuring a classic car is also important, because this will help you cover your costs, should the worst happen further down the line.

In this case, the criminal has been arrested and will be charged with a number of serious offences, according to a spokesperson for the local police force.