Death threats made by a man feared to be armed triggered an Armed Offenders Squad callout in Maungatūroto on Monday afternoon.
The drama unfolded around 2.30pm when a person contacted police stating they had received death threats from a 23-year-old man in the Maungatūroto area, a police spokesman said.
"The informant went to get his rifle and one of them was missing. That is where the concern around a firearm came from," he said.
When officers arrived at the property the man took off on foot.