Tasmania Police have a man in custody after a police operation on the Bass Highway this afternoon.

Just after 1:30pm, police detected a suspicious vehicle driving dangerously in Tarleton St, East Devonport. The vehicle, with three occupants, drove towards Launceston on the Bass Highway. The vehicle was observed to be driving on the edge of the road on the wrong side of the Highway.

When police came across the vehicle, it had crashed on the Highway outside Ashgrove Cheese.

One person was taken into custody. The two other men in the vehicle ran from the scene and stole a white Nissan Navara registration CQ2804.

The vehicle drove on the Highway towards Launceston. It was reported to be driving at high speed and overtaking dangerously. The two occupants had left the vehicle when police arrived.

Investigations into this incident are ongoing. While police attempted to intercept the vehicle using spikes, police did not engage the vehicle in a pursuit.

Police are following a specific line of enquiry in relation to the identity of the two men, one aged in his 20s.

Police ask that if anyone sees two men acting suspiciously that they call police on 131 444 or Crime Stoppers anonymously on 1800 333 000.