An alleged truck thief picked what might be the absolute worst time and place to try to escape from police.

Police and Honolulu Marathon officials said the culprit ran into traffic on Kalanianaole Highway caused by the closure of lanes for the marathon yesterday morning and was captured by two of 425 police officers on special duty for the event.

The chase ended when the alleged thief crashed a stolen Ford F-150 pickup near the beginning of the Lunalilo Freeway at about 11:45 a.m., police and marathon officials said.

The incident started in Kaneohe when the truck was reported stolen yesterday morning. Police spotted the truck and began a pursuit through Kaneohe, Waimanalo and Hawaii Kai, said race co-director Ken MacDowell.

Two motorcycle officers working the marathon, one a lieutenant in the traffic division, followed the truck once it reached Kalanianaole Highway, MacDowell said.

The alleged thief tried to drive through and around the contra-flow lane on the mauka side of Kalanianaole Highway and made it to Waa Street before the truck rear-ended another car. The truck jumped a curb and entered the race course, but no one was on the course at the time.

The suspect then tried to flee on foot but was captured by the motorcycle officers. He was taken in stable condition to a local hospital.