The pursuit happened just before 7 p.m. Tuesday when the suspect stole the forklift in the area of 8th Street and Broadway, according to Los Angeles police.
Footage captured by a witness showed the forklift go down the street as a few people on the sidewalk ran away.
The suspect crashed but kept going before crashing again near Flower and 5th streets, just a couple blocks from where the forklift was stolen.
LAPD arrested the suspect following the second crash.