Gisborne police find 36-year-old man who escaped officers while handcuffed

• Gisborne police have found a man who allegedly escaped from a property on Wednesday.
• The 36-year-old man was arrested at a Whakarau Rd address and handcuffed.
• Police said he had fled and returned home that night.

Police confirmed they found a 36-year-old man alleged to have escaped custody at a rural Gisborne property on Wednesday after he returned home.

The man was arrested at a Whakarau Rd address about 9.30am and was searched, before being handcuffed at the front of his body.

An officer was walking the 36-year-old to a police vehicle when he fled on foot towards Whakarau Rd.

Inspector Soni Malaulau, of Tairāwhiti police, said in a statement on Thursday morning that he was seen returning home shortly after 11pm and was arrested without incident.

“He was cold but otherwise unharmed,” Malaulau said in a statement.

MetService had said temperatures could drop to around 5C overnight in the area.

Police inquiries were ongoing and police were considering charges.

The property was about 6km southeast of Matawai and about 26km from the intersection with SH2.

This story was updated to reflect that the man has been arrested.