Identity factories

From 'Car thief flushed out after high-speed chase' by Stephanie Gardiner in today's SMH -

A man carrying stolen mail and a stash of bank statements and birth certificates has been arrested in the toilets of the Australian Museum after leading a dramatic chase through the city in a stolen car, police say.

A senior officer saw the driver of a black Holden Statesman run a red light on New South Head Road, Edgecliff, about 2.30pm yesterday and tried to pull the car over, police said.

The car allegedly sped away, reaching speeds of up to 100km/h through the Kings Cross Tunnel along William Street before crashing into the back of a car at the intersection of College Street.

Police said the driver ran into the museum and he was arrested in the toilets.

A search of the car uncovered stolen mail, photocopies of driver's licences and a number of bank statements and birth certificates, police said.

The car was allegedly stolen from Queensland last year and fitted with homemade Western Australia number plates.

Police said they also found documents under various names and equipment used to make fake documents at a hotel on Hickson Road.

The 34-year-old man has been charged with a string of offences, including two counts of possessing equipment to make false documents, two counts of goods in custody suspected of being stolen, possession of crystal methylamphetamine and one count of car theft.