A cop from the USA has been recovering at home ever since he was struck with a stolen car manoeuvred by a burglar fleeing the police.

Officers were investigating a burglary in the community of Bird Key, in the city of Sarasota in the US state of Florida, when the incident happened on Monday, 20th March.

They reportedly responded to Mourning Dove Drive at about 2pm the same day, after a victim reported a vehicle burglary.

The person also claimed that several personal items were also stolen from their white 4dr S-Series Mercedes.

But after they found a video showing the suspect driving the car, officers learnt that the same white Mercedes was seen at around 5pm in a neighbourhood in the town of Longboat Key.

Some time later at around 9pm, they received a call saying that the car was returned to Bird Key, which is when they planned a strategic move to catch the suspect.

They reportedly placed their patrol vehicles at the entrance to stop the Mercedes from leaving the area.

But, the unidentified suspect struck the officer while trying to escape the barricade.

The Sarasota Police Department said in a statement obtained by Newsflash: “The Sarasota Police officer who was injured anticipated the Mercedes would either try and drive onto a side street or crash into one of the parked patrol vehicles.

“The Mercedes drove past a parked patrol car and hit the officer head-on, flipping him over the vehicle.

“The officer was taken to Sarasota Memorial Hospital and is now home and expected to recover fully.”

Cops then followed the driver east on John Ringling Causeway, north on US 41, east on Fruitville, before they found the car abandoned in the 2900 block of Orange Avenue.

But the suspect had reportedly left the vehicle at the time they arrived.

The police added: “No suspect has been arrested at this time.”

The department urged people with information on the case to call their office numbers or leave an anonymous tip with Crime Stoppers.