A Birmingham police officer and a theft suspect he was chasing for upwards of 15 minutes through the eastern part of the city were injured after the suspect’s vehicle collided with the officer’s patrol car Thursday afternoon.

Both the officer and suspect sustained minor injuries.

South Precinct Officers were dispatched to a business in the 3400 block of 4th Avenue South around 2:05 p.m. Thursday on a report of a theft suspect.

“This person had stolen merchandise in the thousands from the business this week,” said Officer Truman Fitzgerald, relaying what the business told officers. “He returns to the business [Thursday]. The business workers call 911. Our officers arrive on scene and around that time suspect attempting to get in vehicle and flee.”

The officer then tries to initiate a traffic stop but the suspect does not comply with the officer’s commands, Fitzgerald said.

A vehicle pursuit ensued for about 10-15 minutes, Fitzgerald said, with the chase spanning the area near Messer Airport Highway eastbound until the suspect got to the 6800 block of 2nd Avenue South, where the suspect’s vehicle collided with the officer’s patrol car.

The airbags of both vehicles deployed in the collision, and the officer was able to take the suspect into custody.

Birmingham Fire and Rescue Service personnel arrived on the scene and took both the officer and the suspect to a local hospital to be checked out.

Asked about the extent of the injuries, Fitzgerald said, “nothing visible,” but said the wreck was “pretty major.”

“We’re just thankful that our officer wasn’t seriously injured. We’re thankful that our suspect wasn’t seriously injured,” he said.

The incident was “a prime example of what our officers put on the line each and every day,” Fitzgerald said.