An attempted vehicle theft has ended with one man in hospital with a life-threatening head injury.
Police responded to a report of a car heist on the motorway-end of Te Atatu Rd in west Auckland just after 4am.
A police spokeswoman said a person had reportedly found two men breaking into their vehicle.
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"During the ensuing altercation one of the alleged offenders has left the scene in a vehicle, and the second sustained a head injury and was transported to hospital in a critical condition."
A scene guard was in place, she said.
A person at the scene said two police cars were still in attendance around 6am. An orange sports shoe and a bloodied towel or sheet was visible in the driveway, he said.
Police are still making inquiries and looking for the other person involved.