Police are hunting for a burglar who was disturbed while trying to enter a house in Pukehina about 6pm.
Police Northern Communications Inspector Willy Taylor said the man tried to break into a Pukehina Parade home but was disturbed and ran away.
The occupant of the house, which was near the Waihi Estuary end of the road, was home at the time, he said.
"He's run on to the beach and he's heading north. He'll run out of beach soon."
Mr Taylor said there were a couple of police units and a dog unit searching for the man. Police were following good leads, he said.