Police hunt man who may be armed

Photo / Martin Sykes

Police are still hunting a man who may be armed with a high powered rifle taken from a stolen vehicle in northern Hawkes Bay yesterday.

Two boys, aged 14 and 15, allegedly escaped a camp for at-risk youth by rowing across Lake Waikaremoana and taking a vehicle believed to be carrying a high-powered rifle at 9am yesterday.

They were stopped by police at midday, about 100km away at the top of the Waikare Gorge on State Highway 2 just north of Putorino.

The two boys, understood to be both from Napier, were taken into custody and later referred to Youth Aid.

But with no sign of the weapon, armed offender squads from Hawke's Bay and Gisborne swarmed into the remote area, announcing their arrival as staff leapt out of a convoy of up to 10 vehicles and raided a house at the southern end of the township of Raupunga at 2.15pm.

Police today confirmed a search is still underway for a third male who may have the rifle with him.

Wairoa Senior Sergeant Tony Bates said police know who the male is and he is not considered a danger.

Residents at Raupunga yesterday told the Hawkes Bay Today the vehicle stolen by the two teenagers was parked on the main road through the township for a short time, attracting some suspicion, and police in the area were informed soon after the vehicle had left.

One resident said: "It was a nice vehicle, with two young boys ... We didn't know where they would have got it from."

- Hawkes Bay Today and Herald Online