Police were called to a home on Lombard Avenue in the Wollongong suburb of Fairy Meadow at 3am yesterday after reports of a man trespassing.
Officers located a man in an allegedly stolen Mazada 3 sedan, which drove away when police tried to approach it.
A pursuit was initiated and continued towards Balgownie before the car hit a gutter and stopped on Russell Street, where the 18-year-old driver was arrested at the scene.
He was taken to Wollongong Police Station and has been charged with 24 offences including two counts of aggravated break and enter committing a serious indictable offence, two counts of take and drive conveyance without consent, two counts never licensed person drive vehicle on road, and drive recklessly/furiously or speed/manner dangerous.
Police will allege that the man was involved in multiple break-and-enters and car thefts across the Wollongong, Lake Illawarra and Hume districts.
He appeared in Wollongong Court yesterday and was refused bail.
He will reappear in court on June 5.