UPDATED 6.04pm: The man who died after jumping off the Auckland Harbour Bridge while fleeing police has been named as Alaric Eccleston.

He has been wanted by police since April, when he cut off his electronic monitoring bracelet.

He had previously served a four year aggravated robbery sentence, for which his release conditions expired in 2013.

On July 25, Auckland City Police put out a call for public help identifying Eccleston.

“We're still looking for Alaric Eccleston, who has breached his home detention conditions by cutting off his bracelet and fleeing,” said a post on the police district’s Facebook page.

“There are several warrants for the 30 year-old’s arrest. He has an active charge for allegedly assaulting someone using the butt of a firearm.

“Eccleston cut his bracelet off in April and despite multiple attempts by police to locate him, including enquiries with family, friends, previous associates and accommodation providers in greater Auckland and Tokoroa, he remains outstanding.”

He was believed to be “actively evading” authorities and the public was warned not to approach him.

Police say he had stolen a car and money from a woman known to him, and had been wanted by police for some time.

He failed to stop for police, and a chase ensued.

It's understood he stopped his car on the bridge, and jumped off the side.

Officers from the Police Deodar Boat pulled him from the water and performed CPR, while taking him to the Marine Rescue Centre in Mechanics Bay.

Paramedics form the Westpac Rescue Helicopter base provided medical support but he was pronounced dead a short time later.

Police are now in the process of contacting and advising the man's next of kin, and say they will release further information in the next few hours.

Earlier, the NZ Herald received a number of reports from members of the public about police cars in pursuit of a dark-coloured station wagon through parts of Parnell and Newmarket.

One man said the cars were "screaming'' through Parnell.

A member of the public, Kerry, said she saw six police cars - including a dog squad - involved, as well as the police Eagle helicopter overhead.

[They] are chasing a navy blue station wagon along Parnell Rd. They appear to be stopped in Newmarket. Cars have gone past Ayr St intersection twice,'' she said.

A woman driving across the bridge said she arrived soon after Eccleston jumped. She did not wish to be identified out of respect to the dead man’s grieving family, she said.

“We were travelling to the shore and it was crazy. The traffic ground to gridlock and then we saw a couple of police officers trying to make their way through the traffic that was all stopped.

“They were trying to push everyone to the right hand side.”

A Mitsubishi Legnum, was stopped right by the left hand railing of the bridge, at its highest point, she said.

“The doors were all open and the back tail light was smashed, we thought there must have been a crash but then we saw all the police officers looking over the side of the bridge.

“That’s when we knew someone has definitely jumped.”

Eccleston was also accused of attacking his elderly landlord in 2009.

Police said Eccleston showed up at his 70-year-old landlord's home in Torbay armed with a knife and demanding his car and money.​

He allegedly tied and gagged his landlord with a sock, but removed it when he started to choke.​

 

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