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Man with air rifle sparks armed police callout in Greenlane

Author
NZ Herald Staff,
Publish Date
Thu, 5 Oct 2017, 3:21PM
An armed police officer stands guard in Greenlane. (Photo / Jason Oxenham)
An armed police officer stands guard in Greenlane. (Photo / Jason Oxenham)

Man with air rifle sparks armed police callout in Greenlane

Author
NZ Herald Staff,
Publish Date
Thu, 5 Oct 2017, 3:21PM

Updated 4:25pm:

Armed police attended an incident in Greenlane this afternoon after a report of a person with a firearm - which turned out to be an air rifle.

Senior Sergeant Nicholas Poore, of Auckland City Police, said they were called to the incident at approximately 1.15pm after police received a report that a member of the public had what appeared to be a firearm.

Acting senior Seargeant Jared Evans said they had now found the man who was seen with a weapon and it was an air rifle.

Police would hear his side of the story before deciding whether to confiscate it and are yet to ascertain whether charges will be laid.

Evans said the firearm was initially reported to be a rifle so the police took it very seriously.

"Once we made it safe for the public we went in there in a systematic, tactical fashion and came across a male with an air rifle.

"He is being co-operative."

A resident of Karetu Rd said police had warned him to stay inside his home.

Officers had been stationed on the central Auckland street for approximately 45 minutes.

There were quite a few police in attendance and the road had been blocked off, he said.

Another local James Williams saw a van full of armed offender officers and another police vehicle with dogs and an open boot drive down a side street about 30 minutes ago and hasn't seen anyone come out since. He said a St Johns vehicle was also present.

All the police are armed with guns.

"The cops look like they're getting pretty serious. But there hasn't been any action so far.

"Whatever it is must be something decent.

"We don't get cops with guns in Epsom. It's meant to be a safe neighbourhood."

Williams said he heard police using a megaphone.

Police units including the Police Eagle Helicopter have responded and police are speaking to a number of people at the scene to establish the circumstances surrounding the event.

The area has been cordoned off while investigations continue.

A resthome employee can't get to work due to the cordon.

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