Reports of a man with a gun in a coastal community in Northland sparked an Armed Offenders Squad callout. A police spokeswoman confirmed police were called to a family harm incident at a property at Oakura, 50km north of Whangārei, about 2.45pm yesterday. Due to the nature of the incident she said police were not able to go into specifics. However, a male reportedly left the property with what was believed to be a firearm in his vehicle. Armed officers and the AOS were responding as a precaution.
About 5.30pm police had arrested a man at Rawhiti, 34km north east of Russell. Police were still at the property in Oakura last night conducting inquiries but were not seeking anyone else in relation to the incident.
Timber shed fire
An Awanui storage shed full of timber has been destroyed in a blaze thought to have been caused by an electrical fault. Kaitaia volunteer support officer Kaye Ah-Sam said the alarm was raised about 8.30am yesterday but when the brigade arrived the disused cow shed, measuring about 10m by 3m, was ''fully involved''. Four appliances from Kaitaia and a tanker from Karikari Rural Fire attended. It appeared the fire had started where the power supply entered the building. The Kumi Rd shed, and its contents, was completely destroyed. ''It was quite sad really. It was full of beautiful slabs of wood,'' Ah-Sam said.
