Chase pair 'escape across estuary'

A crane lifts the damaged Ford Fairlane from the crash scene in Beach Haven. The car and several occupants plunged off the wharf into the estuary. Photo / Brett Phibbs

Two people apparently escaped police by swimming across an estuary in Auckland's Waitemata Harbour yesterday following a pursuit on the North Shore.

The car they were in, believed to be a stolen V8 Ford, was being chased by two police cars and a police van when it hit a 23-year-old police officer laying road spikes at a Takapuna intersection about 4am.

About 10 to 15 minutes later, the car, with its tyres burst, crashed through a barrier and was driven off the end of a wharf at Beach Haven, plunging into the rocky estuary.

Police later caught a 28-year-old man who came out of the water at Greenhithe, a few hundred metres across the estuary.

Last night, they were still looking for a man and a woman, and perhaps others, who also ran from the car.

The couple were reported to be asking for directions in Tauhinu Rd, Greenhithe, about 2pm yesterday, said Detective Sergeant Scott Armstrong of North Shore police.

Police have issued a description of the pair. They have described the man as Maori, aged in his twenties, of a medium height and build and wearing only shorts.

The woman is described as Maori with shoulder length black hair and wearing a white top and shorts. Detective Sergeant Scott Armstrong said anyone with information should call police on (09) 477 5000.

The chase started before 4am in the Albany industrial area when a police dog handler spotted a suspicious car, area commander Inspector Les Paterson said.

When the officer went to stop the car it was driven away, and a pursuit at up to 115km/h followed. The car ran over police spikes and swerved sharply as it then struck the constable. The officer was in hospital last night with "moderate" injuries.

Meanwhile, the car, with at least one or two tyres flattened, was slowed to between 60km/h and 70km/h but the driver continued to flee from police.

Mr Paterson said it was driven down a long road and through a barrier onto the Beach Haven wharf.

It went off the end of the wharf, dropping 3m or 4m onto the estuary.

Officers ran to the end of the wharf and saw three people run out into the water. The tide was halfway in and they did not give chase.

A Beach Haven resident, who did not wish to be named, said he heard the chase come to an end. Roused from his bed, he heard a woman scream.

"She yelled out a couple of times 'I'm sinking'. You could hear the panic in her voice.

"When I yelled out 'where are you?' I got no response. It was pitch black."

Police said they had heard a woman screaming for help after the chase ended, but searches by 60 officers found no evidence of those who were believed to be in the car.

In an unrelated incident, police arrested another person at the scene near Beach Haven wharf for allegedly stealing outboard motors.

Mr Paterson said he was "in the wrong place at the wrong time" and would be charged.

The 28-year-old arrested in Greenhithe was charged with burglary and unlawfully getting into a motor vehicle. He will appear in the North Shore District Court today and could face further charges.

- NZPA