Police are appealing for the public's help after a gang member drove dangerously through the Taupō district this morning, fleeing arrest, stealing a vehicle and reaching speeds police say topped 160km/h.
Bay of Plenty Area Commander Inspector Phil Edwards said Police first tried to stop the man in Tūrangi around 8.30am after he was seen driving suspiciously. He fled north on State Highway 1 towards Taupō, prompting officers to abandon the pursuit for public safety reasons before deploying road spikes near Waitahanui Bridge.
The man abandoned the disabled vehicle and approached a commercial vehicle stopped nearby, pulling the driver from their seat. The driver was uninjured. He then fled again, first towards Taupō Airport and then along State Highway 5, the Napier-Taupō Road.
Speaking to Lake FM, Edwards described the danger the driving posed to other motorists.
"We have observed him at certain parts on the wrong side of the road. He has been travelling in excess of 130 kilometres per hour. At one stage he was doing quite high speeds at 160, we're estimating, on the Napier-Taupo Road, the State Highway 5."
The written police release states the man travelled more than 5.5km on the wrong side of the road at one point.
Units from Taupō and Hawke's Bay coordinated to spike the vehicle a second time, approximately 9km south of Pohokura on State Highway 5. The man was taken into custody just before 10am. Charges are pending.
Police are now asking anyone with dashcam footage of the incident, from Tūrangi through to Napier, to come forward.
"What we're looking for is anybody that has dash cam of this incident from Turangi all the way through to Taupo, up through to Napier, to give us a call on 10-5."
Edwards said Police also want to hear from anyone who witnessed the driving but doesn't have footage, with further charges possible relating to the danger posed to the public.
Anyone with information or dashcam footage is asked to contact Police via 105 online or by phone, or to report anonymously through Crime Stoppers on 0800 555 111, quoting case number 260817/5917.
