Cyclist discovered with loaded gun

Hamilton police officers who stopped a cyclist without a helmet yesterday were shocked to discover he was carrying a loaded handgun.

Constables Jasmine Green and Ben Coulter stopped the man on Killarney Rd about 11am.

"We were doing proactive area patrolling as there's been a few burglaries around that area and we thought we'd speak to the man about why he wasn't wearing a cycle helmet," Mr Green said.

"However, he refused to stop for us and took off, pedalling towards the lights heading towards Dinsdale, when he got to the intersection he was heading in and out of traffic, which made us think if he was taking that much of a risk there had to be a reason for it."

The officers caught up with him on a side street off the western side of Killarney Rd.

"He was very agitated and had to be cuffed, on inspecting his bag we saw what looked like the butt of a pistol so we called up our Sergeant who identified the weapon as a 1917 Mk VI .455 Webley - it was loaded and looked like a hand cannon," Mr Green said.

"It would be fair to say in the nearly three years I've been in the police this was certainly the most unnerving moment I've encountered and it's a good warning about letting complacency set in, it makes you wonder how many other offenders have access to such firepower?"

The man was due to appear in Hamilton District Court today charged with illegal possession of a pistol and failing to stop for police.

- NZPA