Waimate police are examining whether four offences, including a police pursuit and the theft of a Waimate District Council security camera, are connected.
Sergeant Kevin Reynolds, of Waimate, said the thefts, a break-in and a burglary, all occurred about the same time early on Thursday morning.
A car was stolen from Wilkin St and was later involved in a police pursuit in Timaru. A police spokeswoman said the pursuit occurred just before 3am, but it did not last long.
She said a Timaru police unit stopped following the stolen car when it was driven into the rail corridor. The driver lost control and the car rolled.
No-one was injured and the driver was arrested.
The spokeswoman said the track was cleared. The crash occurred at a time when no trains were due.
Police were also investigating the theft of a security camera from outside the Waimate District Council building. Sgt Reynolds said the suspect tried to cover their face with a T-shirt before they stole the camera.
Police were now examining closed-circuit footage of the man.
Inquiries were also ongoing into a burglary which occurred at Waimate's Rainbow Cafe, on Queen St, and a car being broken into at an address on Victoria Tce.
Police are looking into whether the offences are connected.
Waimate police: (03) 689-7272.