Carjacker remanded in custody

A man who allegedly carjacked a BMW in Auckland this morning before crashing it into a construction site during a police pursuit has been remanded in custody.

Valentino Salt, 25, is charged with escaping custody, armed robbery with a screwdriver, and dangerous driving.

Senior Sergeant Ross Endicott-Davies said Salt allegedly threatened the driver of the BMW in Richardson Rd, Mt Albert, early today.

He then drove off in the car after the driver got out, but then drove past the scene at high speed when police were interviewing the victim.

Police chased the BMW and were about 500m behind it when it crashed on a corner.

"[It] went through a bus shelter, demolished that, went through a mesh fence and into the construction area of a motorway extension," Mr Endicott-Davies said.

The airbag deployed and Salt allegedly ran away.

A police dog tracked him down and he was found hiding under a house nearby.

He appeared in Auckland District Court today and was remanded in custody to reappear in May.