A child has been charged over the alleged theft of a scooter on the NSW Mid North Coast with the arrest getting a bit messy for the officer involved.

Police on foot patrol at Horseshoe Bay in South West Rocks were told that an electric scooter was allegedly stolen from a caravan park at around 9.45pm yesterday.

Shortly after, officers spotted a 12-year-old boy riding an electric scooter.

The boy saw police before allegedly dropping the scooter and running down a steep embankment towards a creek.

An officer found him in the water and he was arrested.

However as the Senior Constable pulled him from the water, he slipped on a rock and fell into the creek.

He sustained minor cuts to the front of his legs in the fall, but did not require medical treatment.

The 12-year-old was taken to Kempsey Police Station where he was charged with receiving stolen property/having it in his custody, and breaching bail.

He was refused bail and will appear in Children’s Court today.