Police vehicle stolen in Manukau, crashed minutes later in Manurewa in South Auckland

One person is in custody after stealing and crashing a police car in Auckland today.

Police said one person has been taken into custody after the incident in Manukau this afternoon.

The person stole a police vehicle from Puhinui Rd and sped off through South Auckland about 1.01pm.

A police spokesperson said officers were busy attending an “urgent matter” when the car was stolen.

Only a few minutes later the police vehicle collided with two stationary vehicles at the intersection of Great South Rd and Alfriston Rd, Manurewa.

Sections of Great South Rd and Alfriston Rd in Manurewa are closed due to a serious crash. Photo / Dean Purcell

Two members of the public suffered moderate and minor injuries due to the crash and were attended to by ambulance staff.

Police took a person into custody a short time later with the help of a member of the public.

The serious crash has led to the closure of a busy intersection in South Auckland this afternoon.

Auckland Transport (AT) warned the crash had caused disruptions at 1.40pm.

GREAT SOUTH RD & ALFRISTON RD - MANUREWA - ROAD CLOSURE - 1:40PM
Due to a serious crash, sections of Great South Rd and Alfriston Rd in Manurewa are CLOSED. Consider an alternative route and expect delays for all traffic, including bus services, through this area until cleared. pic.twitter.com/JpFg3FFhtc

— Auckland Transport Travel Alerts (@AT_TravelAlerts) January 8, 2024

Sections of Great South Rd and Alfriston Rd in Manurewa are closed due to the crash.

“Consider an alternative route and expect delays for all traffic, including bus services, through this area until cleared.”

Police are considering charges.

Fleeing driver rams police car in separate incident an hour later

In a separate incident an hour later, a driver who was seen driving dangerously tried to ram into a police car when officers tried to pull it over.

Police spotted the car being driven dangerously on New Lynn’s Rankin Ave about 2.05pm and signalled for the driver to pull over.

“But they instead tried unsuccessfully to ram the police vehicle, and drove off at speed,” a police spokesman said.

Police chased the driver, but abandoned their pursuit “due to the nature of driving”.

Police were trying to find the driver and the car. It was last seen travelling east along Titirangi Rd.