Police believe they know the identity of a man who fled from them on foot through farmland after a car chase between Tararua and Manawatu.

A police officer tried to get the man to pull over on Fergusson St in Woodville on July 3 after recognising the Toyota Corolla he was driving as stolen.

But the man refused to stop, and led police on a chase from Woodville to Ashhurst before abandoning the car and running into farm land near No 1 Line.

Pahiatua police Sergeant Jymahl Glassey said the man was believed to be from Palmerston North.

He was still at large, so police staff from Palmerston North would be carrying out searches for him.

But there was no concern for his welfare, despite him running into an area of bush and farmland.

Mr Glassey said the officer also became suspicious when he saw the car, which was reported as stolen from Palmerston North last month, had a broken window.

The man fled along Sowry Rd to McLean St in Woodville, before heading down Oxford Rd.

At the top of Saddle Rd, the car stopped and two passengers were let out. Both passengers were taken into police custody.

Police set up a road block and laid spikes just west of the Saddle Rd bridge near Ashhurst but the driver disappeared down a farm track before abandoning his car.

The passengers,  who were taken back to Pahiatua police station, have appeared in court on a charge of unlawfully getting into a motor vehicle.

- © Fairfax NZ News