Man on the run after pursuit

One man was on the run last night, but two people were arrested after a manhunt that turned into a police pursuit in Palmerston North.

A vehicle involved in the pursuit crashed through a fence at Mahoe Ave in Takaro about 12.50pm yesterday and a man and woman were arrested. A firearm and ammunition were found in the vehicle.

There was another pursuit in the city just before 3pm as police continued their search for the other man, but it was abandoned because it was near schools.

A caller to police reported a metallic blue ute had raced through a stop light on the wrong side of the road and was weaving erratically through traffic headed south along Botanical Rd.

Earlier, armed police cordoned off an area in Takaro while they searched for the three people. The two men fled on foot through properties in Mahoe Ave, while the woman remained with the vehicle.

‘‘Armed police cordons were set up around the area as it was believed one of the occupants that fled may have been in possession of a firearm,’’ Senior Sergeant Steven Crawford said.

‘‘A firearm and ammunition were later recovered from the vehicle.’’

The cordons were taken down at 2.40pm. Police gave up pursuit of the ute as the situation became more dangerous.

West End School and Awatapu College were nearby and classes were about to be let out, so there was too much risk someone could be hit during the chase, a police spokeswoman said.

A woman who lives in Exeter Cres, who did not wish to be named, said yesterday morning that armed police were standing at the end of her street. She was told to stay indoors.