Gunman sought after attempted carjacking

An armed man is being sought after an attempted carjack in Wellington at the weekend.

Police said the 17 year-old victim of the attack was driving his car in Miramar about 10.15pm on Friday when the front passenger of a vehicle, which had pulled alongside him, pointed a firearm at him and demanded his car.

After a verbal exchange the victim sped away from the gunman and while he did not suffer any injuries he was left shaken as a result of the attack, Detective Sergeant Martin Todd said.

"This is a particularly frightening attack, especially when a firearm is involved."

These types of attacks were rare and police asked anyone who witnessed the incident to come forward, Mr Todd said.

The offender was described as a Polynesian male, aged in his mid 20s, around 170 centimetres tall, with long straightened hair and a thin line of facial hair under his bottom lip down to his chin.

He was wearing a dark coloured hooded sweatshirt with lighter vertical stripes and a beanie and was in a vehicle described as a lowered white coloured four door sedan, possibly a Subaru, with tinted windows and a blow off valve.

- NZPA