WATCH: Man arrested after ramming police in chase through Hastings, firearm recovered

Some Hawke’s Bay schools briefly went into lockdown on Wednesday morning as a man in possession of a gun rammed police vehicles and then fled, leading them on a chase through Hastings.

A police statement said officers signalled for a vehicle to stop in the suburb of Camberley as they wanted to speak with the driver about a burglary.

The driver fled from police, who began to pursue him, chasing him through central Hastings, including a detour through Hastings Woolworths’ car park, where video captured him then driving on the wrong side of the road along Queen St East.

Police said he rammed two police vehicles during the chase, before abandoning the vehicle in Gardiner Pl, Havelock North, and fleeing on foot while allegedly in possession of a firearm.

“Cordons were established and nearby schools were advised to go into lockdown, as a precaution,” the police statement said.

Police said the 43-year-old man was taken into custody without incident about 10.45am and a firearm was recovered.

“Schools have been advised and have returned to their normal day and police are not seeking anyone else in relation to the incident.”

Police were considering charges.

A red car on the wrong side of the road is chased out of Hastings Woolworths by a police car on Wednesday.

A woman, who asked to remain anonymous, said she saw what she thought was the same vehicle pursued by police through Hastings two days earlier.

She was in the Mitre 10 Hastings car park about 8am on Monday when she noticed two police vehicles appeared to be waiting in the area.

Not long after she saw what she believes was a small red Peugeot car speeding down Sir James Wattie Pl on the wrong side of the road and through footpaths and gardens up to what she estimates was 100km/h.

“He was going so fast I could not believe he didn’t spin out and hit a pedestrian. There were kids on bikes everywhere going to school,” the woman said.

“I can’t believe nobody was hurt.”