A man carrying fishing equipment appears to have sparked a response from armed police in east Auckland this morning.
A spokesperson for Counties Manukau Police says a report was received earlier this morning, August 25, of a man in possession of a firearm in the Somerville area.
“This was reported at 7.20am and police soon responded to the area, locating the man in the Mangemangeroa Reserve area.
“No firearm has been located, however the man was observed with fishing equipment.
“The man was spoken to about the current [Covid-19 level four lockdown] restrictions in place and he was escorted out of the reserve and directed to return home.
“Police have issued the man with an infringement notice as a result.”
The spokesperson says the callout did not involve the police’s armed offenders squad, although attending officers were armed as a precaution given the nature of the 111 call.
A local resident who witnessed the response from police says she saw about six police vehicles in the area and officers who were armed.
She says a cordon was in place at the roundabout intersection of Somerville Road, Whitford Road, and Point View Drive.
The resident also saw the police’s Eagle helicopter above the scene.
Meanwhile, police have charged a man after an investigation into an aggravated robbery in Pakuranga.
Counties Manukau East criminal investigation branch detective senior sergeant Natalie Nelson says a victim was allegedly threatened with a firearm during an encounter at Lloyd Elsmore Park in Pakuranga on August 21.
“Following enquiries by police, a search warrant was carried out [on August 27] at a property on Cascades Road in Pakuranga.
“A 21-year-old man has been charged with aggravated robbery.”
The man was due to appear in the Manukau District Court on August 27.
