Te Puna manhunt: Man taken into custody

Police check cars leaving Te Puna. Photo/John Borren

UPDATE 3.50pm: A man has been taken into custody after a police search that spanned over about four hours this morning.

Northern Police Communications Inspector Tony Wakelin told the Bay of Plenty Times that the inital report related to a domestic related incident at a Wairoa Pa Rd, Bethlehem address involving a man who had left the address in a vehicle.

"There was some mention of a knife being involved," he said.

Mr Wakelin said Tauranga police had been liasing with the man's family members and armed police searched a Maungatapu property without success but finally located the suspect at 12.49pm who has been taken into custody.

Where the man was finally located was not known and whether he would face any charges was a matter for local police to decide, he said.

UPDATE 10am: Family members of the man being sought by police have spoken out, saying police told them if he has a gun and any intention to use it, police will shoot him.

The family members arrived at the police cordon, speaking to police before speaking to the Bay of Plenty Times.

They said police told them they wanted to get friends or family of a similar age to the man to try persuade him to give himself up.

Police were also waiting on police negotiators to arrive, a reporter at the scene said.

UPDATE 9.20am: Vehicles in Te Puna are being stopped and checked before they leave the area as the hunt for a man continues.

A reporter at the scene - now near Tangitu Rd and Maramatanga Park, off Te Puna Rd - said the Armed Offenders Squad were on their way and police had road spikes ready.

UPDATE 8.55am: Police have cordoned roads around Wairoa Pa Rd and are on the hunt for a man believed to be carrying a weapon after a family violence incident.

Police Inspector Willie Taylor said police were called to a family violence incident on Wairoa Pa Rd but a man had since left the address and was believed to be on foot in the area.

"But we can't dismiss the possibility that he could've got a vehicle," Mr Taylor said.

He understood the man was not carrying a firearm but had "other weapons".

Police were armed as a precaution, he said.

EARLIER: Armed police are in Bethlehem this morning responding to an incident near Wairoa Rd.

Police Inspector Willie Taylor said police were called to a family violence incident and made the decision to arm the officers based on what they knew so far.

"We're just taking precautions based on the information we've got," he said.

A caller to the Bay of Plenty Times said there were "armed police everywhere" on the State Highway near Wairoa Rd.