A man has been charged after allegedly stealing a vehicle outside a central Auckland supermarket, forcing a young boy from the front seat.
Police responded to Williamson Avenue in Ponsonby after 6.15pm.
Senior Sergeant Dave Plunkett, Auckland City Road Policing, says a SUV had been parked outside the supermarket.
"The driver had gone inside the supermarket, with his son waiting in the car," he says.
"An unknown male has approached the vehicle, yelling at the young boy to get out of the car, before he proceeded to get in and drive away."
Fortunately, the young boy was physically unharmed, and the alarm was raised with a Road Policing officer who was nearby.
Senior Sergeant Plunkett says the SUV was driven off at speed.
Information was relayed to the Northern Emergency Communications and Dispatch centre.
"Units responded into the area, and the Eagle helicopter located the vehicle abandoned on Commercial Road in Arches Hill a short time later."
Around the same time, Police received calls about a man jumping fences in Arches Hill.
"Enquiries on the ground provided Police with information on a person of interest and our search continued."
A Police Camera Operator monitoring CCTV later spotted the man walking on Karangahape Road.
"Units responded to apprehend this man, and he was arrested," Senior Sergeant Plunkett says.
"We have recovered a concealed knife on this man as well as an imitation firearm.
"I would like to acknowledge all our staff's exceptional response to this incident last night, which would have been incredibly startling for the young boy."
The 31-year-old man will appear in the Auckland District Court today.
He has been charged with unlawfully carrying an imitation firearm, possessing an offensive weapon, unlawfully taking a motor vehicle and resisting Police.
