A 13-year-old Gardiner boy who allegedly stole a minivan and led police on a high-speed car chase from Hallowell to Gardiner was arrested on several charges Thursday.

The chase began about 4 a.m. when a Hallowell police officer saw the 2010 Honda minivan heading south at high speed, Hallowell Police Chief Eric Nason said.

It ended 6 miles later after the boy drove through Farmingdale at speeds up to 90 mph, crossed into Gardiner and abandoned the vehicle on a walking path at the city boat landing, Nason said.

Officers from Hallowell and Gardiner and Maine State Police pursued the boy and found him elsewhere in Gardiner, Nason said.

They arrested him on charges of driving to endanger, operating without a license, theft by unauthorized use of property and eluding a police officer.

After his arrest, the boy was taken to the Gardiner Police Department.

It was not the first time in recent memory that boys were arrested on charges of vehicle theft in that part of Kennebec County.

In June, police accused two 15-year-old boys – one from Farmingdale, one from Whitefield – of stealing eight cars over one week. They allegedly stole most of the cars from Farmingdale and one from Litchfield.

Charles Eichacker can be contacted at 621-5642 or at:

ceichacker@centralmaine.com