Canine duo nab man who tried to outrun Whangārei police twice

A Whangārei man who had two goes at trying to outrun the long arm of the law in one day was foiled thanks to a canine member of the force.

Police dog Mist and her handler were called to Station Rd about 10am today after a man fled over a back fence and ran through properties.

Police were quick to put cordons in place and at the intersection of Colenso St and Ridgeway Dr were stopping and checking the occupants of every vehicle.

Officers were quick to cordon Kamo streets and catch a man using a police dog and handler. Photo / Michael Cunningham

Detective Sergeant Josh Lautogo said police were making inquiries for a person with a warrant to arrest at a property when a man ran off.

Unfortunately the police dog was unable to locate the man.

However at 12.20pm the man was spotted again and police in the area alerted that he was on Wakelin St in Kamo. The police dog combination were again dispatched from Whangārei station and began tracking.

It wasn't long before Mist tracked to a property in nearby Grant St and a barefooted 38-year-old man was arrested at 12.43pm and put in a police vehicle by two officers.

Police dog Mist and her handler on the trail of a wanted man. Photo / Michael Cunningham

A man was being spoken to by police today and was expected to be held in custody overnight to appear in court tomorrow.

"Units stayed active in the area and were quickly into position. It shows how vigilant staff are and that we have good systems in place to catch these people," Lautogo said.

Meanwhile, a man who was arrested and charged with robbing two service stations and stealing from a dairy within 23 minutes on Tuesday has appeared in Whangārei District Court.

Senior Sergeant Brian Swann said police were alerted to the first robbery at Gull Service Station, at Otaika, on the southern side of the city about 3.55pm.

The next incident was at the Mobil petrol station on Kamo Rd at 4.10pm and then just eight minutes later at Ye Korner Dairy on Crawford Cres in Kamo there were reports of a third robbery.

A vehicle allegedly involved was stopped on Pipiwai Rd and officers arrested a 29-year-old Auckland man.

Anthony Patrick Patolo, who listed his occupation on court documents as artist, appeared on two charges of robbery relating to Gull Service Station where cash and two packets of cigarettes were taken and Mobil where cash was taken and a charge of theft of cash from Ye Korner Dairy, all on Tuesday.

The total cash taken was $653 and $79 worth of cigarettes.

He also faces another charge of stealing 5 litres of car oil and two pies valued at $79 from Mobil at Walton Plaza also on Tuesday.

And Patolo also faces a charge of stealing cigarettes from Caltex Western Hills Dr, valued at $27.90, on Monday.

Patolo was remanded in custody to reappear on August 14.