Hawke’s Bay: Police chase on Te Aute College rugby field puts nearby Pukehou School into lockdown

Police were involved in a slow speed pursuit in CHB on Thursday afternoon. Photo / Paul Taylor

Two police officers in a patrol car chased a car with spiked tyres around a rugby field for up to 15 minutes in what took on the shape of a bizarre end-of-season game at Te Aute College today.

Witness Tonk Morgan, of Waipukurau, told Hawke’s Bay Today he was on his way home from Napier when he saw the slow-speed pursuit unfold after two front tyres of a car were punctured by spikes laid by police near the gates of the school, beside State Highway 2, about 30km south of Hastings.

There was light rain at the time and Morgan said police appeared to have decided to pursue their quarry as long as it would take for the flattened tyres to fall apart and detach.

Eventually, the two front wheels were down to the rims and unable to gain traction on the slippery field where the game was up for at least two of the occupants as they were tackled by police and bundled into their vehicles.

“It took probably 15 minutes,” Morgan estimated.

“I don’t want to exaggerate but it would have been at least 10 minutes.”

He said at least seven police vehicles gathered at the scene, and at least as many motorists stopped at the side of the road, at one stage in what appeared to be the intended path of the youths as they tried to get back onto the highway.

The incident unfolded mid-afternoon, and sparked a lockdown of Pukehou School - just south of Te Aute College - for pupil safety reasons while police continued a hunt in the area.

Police said later six youths aged 13-17 years had been apprehended as a result of the events which started about 2pm when two reported stolen vehicles were seen travelling from Napier to Central Hawke’s Bay.

Police signalled the vehicles to stop but both were driven into the school grounds, from where some of the occupants absconded.

All six were apprehended a short time later, police said.

Police and a prison van on the Te Aute College grounds. Photo / Paul Taylor