Police are appealing for dashcam footage after a gang member allegedly carjacked a vehicle and drove for more than 5km on the wrong side of the road near Taupō this morning.
Bay of Plenty Area Commander Inspector Phil Edwards said police attempted to stop a vehicle in Tūrangi on Monday morning over suspicious behaviour.
The driver fled and headed north towards Taupō.
Edwards said police deployed road spikes near Waitahanui Bridge on State Highway 1, disabling the vehicle.
"The man decamped, then approached a commercial vehicle. He pulled the occupant – who was uninjured – from the driver’s seat and fled again, first toward Taupō airport then along State Highway 5," he said.
"He exceeded speeds of more than 130km and regularly drove on the wrong side of the road.
"In one instance, he travelled more that 5.5km on the wrong side of the road."
Edwards said police units from Taupō and Hawke’s Bay responded and the second vehicle was spiked approximately 9km south of Pohokura on State Highway 5.
"The man was taken into custody just before 10am."
Police were asking motorists who were travelling between Tūrangi on State Highway 1 and Pohokura on State Highway 5 between 8.50am and 10am to check whether they had dashcam footage of the incident.
Anyone with information or footage was asked to contact police through 105, using reference number 260817/5917.
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