Bradley Mace was witness to the standoff at a Morrinsville address last night.
A young Morrinsville man has told how police stormed his home looking for an armed man who shot at police two days ago.
During the search, a police dog bit into a couch at the Studholme St home which Bradley Mace and his girlfriend bought a year ago.
Waikato police searched the couple's home, and a neighbouring property, in their search for Rollie James Heke.
Police would later tell Mace that the occupants of his neighbour's house were "quite possibly" helping Heke.
Mace, 25, was shocked when he heard police wanted to get into his home.
"Some neighbours a couple of doors down rang [my father] when the siege began. My dad then rang me and I tried contacting the police.
"I was half an hour away so I came over and gave the police the house key so they could get in."
Mace waited outside the house until 11pm and says he heard explosions from tear gas canisters and windows breaking at the house next door.
Mace said the police told him the occupants of the house were "quite possibly" helping Heke.
"This isn't good. I don't want to be living next to people like that."
He said once the area was reopened to residents, police took him through the house and showed him the damage.
"One of the dogs did a little bit of damage. It bit into a nice fluffy seat that we have."
He said the Armed Offenders Squad were at the house until 9.30am today and about six police cars and 10 police officers are still stationed outside the neighbour's house.
Despite the search of the two properties, there was no sign of 36-year-old Heke and he remains on the loose.
Mace said five or six people live at the neighbouring property, two of whom are children.
"A lot of people come and go from that house, a lot of guys especially.
"There was one instance where I had to ring the police because a whole lot of gang people turned up outside the house.
"I just happened to walk out and one of them said 'what the f*** you looking at boy'. They were right outside my house so obviously I rang the police."
Mace's partner bought the home in the small Waikato township a year ago.
"We bought the house off Housing New Zealand and it was quite run down so we are doing it up," he said.
"I don't feel safe now. I want to sell the house and get out of this place."
Mace said his partner is "off the grid" and will not return until the weekend.
"She is at a silent retreat doing some meditation so she doesn't know what has happened.
"It will be a shock when she gets back."
The search has resumed today and police are appealing for the public's help.
Earlier today a video emerged of armed police pointing guns at a vehicle in Morrinsville's main street.
Watch: Ill man pulled from car at gunpoint
A police spokeswoman told the Herald police stopped the vehicle after they saw someone lying in the back.
"Because of the situation in Morrinsville at the moment", she said, police took cautionary measures.
They searched the car and learned the person was lying down because he had a sore back. No arrests were made.
Anyone with information on Heke's whereabouts should contact police immediately on 111. Information can also be shared anonymously via Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111.
One issue seemed harder to agree on than most - how big the crowd was.