The Armed Offenders Squad, dog
handlers, a negotiation team, the Westpac helicopter and police
patrols are still searching for a man on the run in the eastern
hills of Lower Hutt on Tuesday.
A firearm, believed to be a shotgun, has been recovered and
police have arrested a female associate of the man, but he remains
at large following an incident at a Naenae house.
Inspector Geoff Gwyn of Lower Hutt police said some details were
unclear, but the occupants of the Naenae house said a man and woman,
known to them, drove around and it appeared the man had a firearm in
the car.
When the occupants said they would call police, the pair, who had
a girl toddler in the car with them, drove off.
The car was later stopped by police as it left the Taita
Cemetery.
The woman driver was arrested without incident and charged with being party to an offence.
The child was unharmed and is now in care.
However, the man was not in the car and shortly after police
found a firearm and jacket in the cemetery, believed to have been
dumped by the man.
Gwyn appealed for people to immediately report any sightings
of the man.
He was described as Caucasian, 187cm tall, of thin build wearing
a white top and dark pants.
Police were talking with witnesses and gathering information to
find out what sparked the call-out.
