Auckland driver's knifepoint car-jacking

File photo / NZ Herald

A BMW owner was carjacked at knifepoint in Auckland early this morning, before his vehicle was crashed into a construction site during a police pursuit.

The drama began about 1.20am on Richardson Rd in Mt Albert.

Senior Sergeant Ross Endicott-Davies said the suspect was walking past the car, opened the driver's door and pulled out a knife. He threatened the driver who got out of the car.

The man then drove off - but drove past the scene of the incident at high speed when police were interviewing the victim.

Police chased the BMW and were about 500 metres behind it when it crashed on a corner.

"[It] went through a bus shelter, demolished that, went through a mesh fence and into the construction area of a motorway extension,'' Mr Endicott-Davies said.

The airbag went off and the thief ran away.

A police dog tracked him to an address in Valonia St where they found him hiding under a house.

Mr Endicott-Davies said a 25-year-old Mt Albert man had been arrested in relation and would appear in Auckland District Court today charged with aggravated robbery, escaping from police custody and dangerous driving.

He said he would imagine the victim would have been shaken up.