Otumoetai: Armed police seen at Tauranga property

A man has been taken into custody after an hours-long standoff with police in Otumoetai today.

Police, including Armed Offenders Squad officers, were seen at a property in Grange Rd from early morning into the afternoon, with part of the road cordoned off for some of that period.

Police said this afternoon that one man had been taken into custody after he allegedly "refused to leave a property ... during a pre-planned search warrant".

The incident was resolved after staff negotiated with the man and arrested him without injury.

"Police would like to thank members of the public who allowed [the] police to carry out this operation safely and respected road closures around the scene."

The statement said charges were being considered and the man would appear in the Tauranga District Court "in due course".

Bay of Plenty Times reporters at the scene about 1.30pm said Grange Rd was cordoned off between Otumoetai Rd and Stratford Pl. The cordon was later lifted.

Holes could be seen in windows in the upper story of the property being searched by police.

A neighbour earlier told the Bay of Plenty Times the incident had been going on at the address since 7.30am with four Armed Offenders Squad (AOS) members and two to three uniformed officers at the address.

The man said a police officer had been using a microphone to try to communicate with an individual earlier in the day.

Another witness said he was dropping his daughter off at school just before 9.30am and saw the police, including armed police, on Grange Rd.

The father said he saw six to eight police patrol vehicles and up to dozen police officers, as well as two AOS members at the scene.

One of the AOS members was standing down a driveway and another was near the front door, he said.

Multiple police including Armed Offender Squad members at a Grange Rd property on October 28. Photo / Supplied

"My wife also saw the police at the property when she drove past just after 8am."

The witnesses did not want to be named for privacy and safety reasons.