Police were looking for a man seen stabbing knives into a fence in Whangarei.
Officers and a dog handler scoured bushes on Waimahanga Track just after lunch yesterday but lost track of him.
Onerahi police constable Aaron Furze said the man had in his possession a couple of knives while at a house in Onerahi.
He said the occupant of the house became concerned about the man's behaviour and called police.
"He was being silly stabbing the knives into a fence," Mr Furze said. "When police arrived, he'd ran off but no one was threatened or injured."
Mr Furze said a police dog lost track of the man but investigations would continue.
Police officers were stationed at various entrances to the track.