A man in the US stole a car to face a previous motor theft charge, police said

Police in California say a man stole a car so he could make a court appearance on a previous auto theft charge.

The state's highway patrol says 24-year-old Samuel Botchvaroff, of Oakland, was arrested after he left his court appearance at Vallejo on auto theft charges. He was taken to jail on suspicion of auto theft and possession of stolen property.

Authorities were looking for the stolen car after its tracking system alerted them about the theft.

They say Botchvaroff told officers his own car had been impounded and that he had no other way to get to the court appearance.