Man arrested over violent Auckland crime spree

It's alleged the man, armed with a knife, burgled seven homes and stole two cars. Photo / NZME

A 44-year-old man has been arrested after allegedly breaking into a number of homes armed with a knife, stealing two cars and crashing three times in Auckland early this morning.

Police say the crime spree started on Udys Rd in Pakuranga after 5am when they received a call from someone reporting a break in.

A “physical confrontation” took place, police allege, before the offender left on foot.

It's alleged the man, armed with a knife, burgled seven homes and stole two cars. Photo / NZME

Minutes later police received two separate calls from residents on the same street, one involving a man allegedly attempting to break in and the other reporting the household’s front door had been smashed in.

The police dog unit were then called to Grammar School Rd about 5.40am where they saw a man on a property.

Another resident then reported a man had kicked in the front door of their house and was “smashing items inside”.

It is alleged it was there that the offender stole the resident’s car keys and drove off in their vehicle.

Police said the man crashed through a gate on to Pakuranga Rd, then on to Udys Rd.

The vehicle crashed again at the intersection of Udys and Reeves Rds, police said.

The wanted man then allegedly stole another car, which later crashed at the intersection of Ti Rakau and Tiraumea Drives, causing “significant damage” to a fence.

The man fled on foot before being found and arrested soon afterwards.

No injuries were reported from any of the seven reported burglaries.

Inspector Danny Meade said in a statement the man will appear in court at a later date.

He is to face a range of charges in relation to seven burglaries, the theft of two cars and three crashes.