Police in Counties Manukau detained three teens and arrested an armed 20 year-old man who was wanted on warrants for failing to appear in Court in May on a range of charges, including assaulting Police.
At about 1pm today Police were called to attend an incident in Molesworth Place, Mangere, where a man was reported to have presented a firearm at others during a brawl in the street. The man left the street in a car with three others but was followed by armed Police through Otahuhu, Mt Wellington and Mangere for the ensuing 90 minutes before he and his passengers stopped the vehicle in Ventura St, Mangere.
The three teens were immediately detained but the armed man ran off to a nearby property known to him. He was tracked by members of the Auckland Dog Section and found hiding inside the house and arrested. A firearm was recovered from under the driver's seat of the car he'd travelled in.
The 20-year old will face a range of charges in the Manukau District Court on Monday. The three teenagers are assisting Police with inquiries into the incident.
Senior Sergeant Emiel Logan says people who unlawfully carry firearms and threaten members of the public or Police with them are literally playing Russian roulette with theirs and the lives of others.
"On this occasion I can reassure our communities that an armed, wanted man has been removed from their neighbourhood and I reiterate the warnings Police have been issuing to all who favour this type of behaviour that it will eventually end badly - for someone."
ENDS
Issued by Noreen Hegarty/Auckland City Police communications manager