Police nab naked fugitive

A 25-year-old man has been found after hiding in a ceiling space to avoid arrest. Photo / Sarah Ivey

A naked man who sparked a seven hour police hunt when he escaped custody and climbed into the ceiling of Auckland Hospital's emergency department has been recaptured.

The 25-year-old was discovered in the roof space of the hospital and was dragged out of the confined space about 3.45pm by one of several police officers.

He was naked at the time, having lost his hospital gown earlier in the day.

The man is to face charges including escaping from police custody and assaulting a police officer and was to appear in the Waitakere District Court tomorrow.

The man was admitted to hospital with suspected ankle injuries about 2.30am today. He had fallen from an apartment building while attempting to flee from police several hours earlier.

The man had been wanted on an arrest warrant for failing to appear on a charge of driving while disqualified.

Police found him when they went to a Kelston property on an unrelated issue.

However, he was able to slip away from them about 8.30am today by climbing into the ceiling after going for a shower.

Police Northern Communications Centre control Inspector Ben Offner told NZPA the fugitive had "actually came down from the ceiling where he was hiding and then came out of the hospital and then went back up".

Hospital spokesman Mark Fenwick told NZPA that half a dozen patients had to be moved out of the area where the man was caught.

"He was found in the ceiling above the admission and planning unit, which is connected to the emergency department. We had to move patients out quickly when he was located.

"We don't know what his movements have been. After being removed from the ceiling he was given some treatment for a cut on his hand. He was then given over to police custody," Mr Fenwick said.

The incident caused "substantial disruption" to the care of about 45 patients, in both the emergency department and the admission and planning unit, he added.

"We had to move all the patients out of those two wards for about three hours into the hospital central atrium and corridor areas. They started to go back in around 1pm," Mr Fenwick said.

Earlier a specialist search group and a police negotiator were sent to the hospital.

The Fire Service also joined the search, equipped with thermal imaging devices.