Melbourne cops injured after stolen ute smashes into police van

An alleged thief on a getaway rampage through the streets of Melbourne has injured two police officers after a smash on Clarendon Street today.

CCTV obtained by 9NEWS shows the ute was stolen from outside a nearby hire company, the brazen thief ignoring the shocked business owner.

As the driver made his escape, the ute careered over the top of a round-a-bout in South Melbourne, snapping the front passenger tyre off in the process.

The wheel came off at the corner of Cecil and York Streets with the high speed collision occurring almost one kilometre away at the corner of Clarendon Street and Normanby Road at about 11.30am.

Unlucky for the alleged thief, the ute came to a stop when it collided with an unmarked police van containing Special Operations Group police officers unaware of the getaway attempt.

A second unmarked police car was destroyed in the car thief’s rampage through South Melbourne.

Two officers were injured in the crash, and while one was discharged earlier today, the other remains at the Alfred Hospital.

The man driving the stolen ute was handcuffed and taken to St Vincent's Hospital after spitting on a paramedic.