Officers were patrolling the streets of Burwood when they spotted an allegedly stolen Audi A3 on Warrigal Road about 1am on Sunday.

The police followed the vehicle into a car park and stopped behind it.

Leading Senior Constable Adam West said the Audi then reversed into the police van "a number of times".

"Officers managed to exit their car and arrest the driver of the Audi before he could drive off," Senior Constable West said.

"Fortunately the members suffered only minor injuries."

The Ashburton teen has been charged with a string of offences including theft of a motor vehicle, assaulting police, reckless conduct endangering life, intentionally causing injury and driving in a dangerous manner.

The boy was also charged with using false plates, failing to display L plates and driving without an experience driver.

He faced an out of sessions court hearing this morning and was remanded in custody to appear at a children's court on Monday.