Pair in court after gun-wielding man interrupts Hamilton police during arrest, helps woman escape patrol car

Two people have been charged after an incident in Hamilton yesterday where a man threatened police with a pistol as he helped a woman escape arrest.

At about 3.30am yesterday police stopped a car on Forest Hill Rd and located a woman who was wanted on a warrant.

They arrested her and she was placed in the back of a police car.

As they were managing the alleged offender another occupant of the car sent a message to an associate about the situation.

Soon after that associate turned up at the scene and approached police.

It is understood he pulled a pistol on the officers, helped the alleged offender out of the patrol car and the pair took off.

Police today confirmed that a 26-year-old female and a 25-year-old male were arrested at 4pm yesterday after police executed a search warrant at a property in Chartwell.

Both were due to appear in the Hamilton District Court today.

"During the incident this morning, the male offender allegedly presented a firearm at police officers but no shots were fired," said a police spokesperson.

"No other people are being sought in relation to the incident at this stage.

"Police continue to search the address the offenders were located at and are speaking to the other occupants."

Police said yesterday they were thankful no one was injured.

The officers at the scene were "understandably shaken and are being supported".

"Any use of force against police would not be tolerated and offenders would be held to account," said a spokesperson yesterday.