Man arrested after Auckland gun scare

A 49 year-old property developer has been arrested after an Armed Offenders Squad callout in central Auckland this morning. 

The Parnell man will appear in the Auckland District Court tomorrow charged with possession of a firearm and presenting a firearm.

A 17 year-old unemployed male from the same Parnell address will also appear in the court tomorrow charged with possession of a pipe.

Four men were earlier helping police untangle the background to this morning's Armed Offender's Squad callout to a group of businesses and apartments on Quay St where a man reported he had a gun pointed at him at close range.

The incident started at about 7.30am near an ATM machine. The victim has told police a man pointed a gun at him but did not demand money. The two men went their own ways and the victim reported the incident.

The man's description of the gun was such that it gavepPolice cause for concern and the area around the apartments was subsequently cordoned off, with traffic diverted along The Strand and Tangihuia St.

One of the men voluntarily came to speak with the inquiry officers who were first on the scene but the AOS was called to assist because police had information that more people who may have had access to a weapon or weapons were still in one of the apartments.

The Armed Offender's Squad arrived at the scene at 8.50am and by 9.25am had cleared the apartment and handed it over to the investigating team, police said.

One of the four men helping police was in the apartment at the time AOS entered.

No shots were fired throughout the whole incident. One firearm was recovered from the apartment.

The roads around the area were reopened at about 9.30am. Traffic had built up for several kilometres along Tamaki Drive, which services all the waterfront bays on Auckland's Waitemata Harbour frontage.

- HERALD ONLINE STAFF