Napier: Armed group smashed vehicle as person inside called police

A person trapped in their vehicle as an armed group began smashing it with weapons, made a panicked call to Hawke’s Bay police for help.

Officers found a car window smashed, and a side mirror and both bumpers of the car damaged, on Puketapu Road, Taradale, at about 9.20pm on Saturday.

The alleged offenders fled the scene in another vehicle and were seen heading towards Church Rd, a police spokesperson said.

“Further inquiries led police to locate the fleeing vehicle on Tukituki Rd near Tennant Rd in Haumoana around 2am Sunday.”

Police arrested a 20-year-old man in the vehicle and charged him with committing burglary with a weapon.

A police spokesperson said this charge related to an incident that occurred about 35 minutes before the man was arrested, where a group of people allegedly banged on the door of a Te Awanga property.

The man charged had gained entry to the building.

Police did not currently have any further lines of inquiry related to the car incident, a spokesperson said.