Man arrested in Cambridge following Police search involving armed offenders

Armed offenders conducted a search around Thornton Rd for a man, they say he was later arrested outside the original search area. Photo / Caitlan Johnston

A 37-year-old man was arrested in Cambridge following a Police search which involved members of the armed offenders squad and saw multiple schools put into lockdown.

Police say the man was found outside the original search area, he was remanded in custody and will reappear in the Hamilton District Court on March 2.

At midday on Friday, February 14 Police say they observed a vehicle of interest on Tirau Rd that took off at speed, heading north which prompted Police to undertake a search.

The vehicle was later found on the Waikato Expressway near Thornton Rd, one man ran away from the vehicle while one person of interest remained.

A part of Thornton Rd between St Kilda Rd and Oaklands Dr was closed and a distressed woman could be seen talking to Police at a road block.

A part of Thornton Rd from Oaklands Dr was closed and traffic was being diverted. Photo / Caitlan Johnston

Traffic on State Highway One was also being diverted northbound onto Tirau Rd.

The Police chopper was out during the search, circling the area around Thornton Rd.

Schools, including Cambridge High School, Cambridge Primary School and Cambridge East School, and a number of day-care centres were put into lockdown as a precaution during the search.

At about 3pm a post was made to the Waikato Police Facebook page stating that this lockdown had ended.