Police operation in Tauranga: Armed officers surround Ōtūmoetai home

Ōtūmoetai residents were in lockdown this morning as armed police searched for a “person of interest”.

A SunLive reader said armed police had surrounded a house on Ōtūmoetai Rd.

The reader said there were too many officers to count, and they had been there from about 5.30am.

The person said they and other neighbours were in lockdown while police surrounded the unit next door.

They said police told them to stay away from their windows.

A police spokesperson said this morning’s operation was in relation to a “pre-planned warrant to locate a person of interest” regarding an incident last month.

Police did not find the person they were looking for and would be making further inquiries. They were speaking with another person at the address as part of this.

The spokesperson said no further information would be released to the public at this point.