Arrest after armed police called to the Auckland suburb of St Johns

Police and forensics attend a scene along St Johns Road, Auckland. Photo / Steven McNicholl

A person is facing a breach of bail charge after an armed offenders' squad call-out in Auckland last night.

The squad were called to an address in St Johns after reports of a man seen with a firearm. Later, an apartment building in nearby Felton Mathew Ave was evacuated after police were told the man had fled there in a vehicle.

The armed offenders squad (AOS) was called in and set up cordons around the Felton Mathew Ave building, which was also evacuated.

in a statement this morning, a police spokeswoman said a person was arrested after the building was searched and is facing a breach of bail charge.

No firearm was found at the address and residents were allowed back into the building about midnight.

Police were initially called at 6.30pm.

Officers had cordoned off the driveway of a group of three units at top of St Johns Rd, near the St Heliers Bay Rd intersection, when the Herald arrived at the scene about 8.45pm.

An armed police officer stood at the top of the driveway.

Another two officers, one in a white decontamination suit and another in uniform, were talking to someone, who appeared to be a resident, on the steps of the middle house.

A neighbour said helicopters had been circling for about 15 minutes.

The man fled the scene in a vehicle as police arrived, Inspector Jason Greenhalgh said.

Police were told that someone in the vehicle got out and ran into a nearby Felton Mathew Ave apartment building.

Police later confirmed the man's identity and found him at a South Auckland address.

The man was not armed when he was found and police said no shots were fired.

No one was injured.