To be attributed to Inspector Jason Greenhalgh, NZ Police
Police are currently searching for 35 year-old Haumia Manuel, who is believed to have carjacked a member of the public in St Lukes this morning.
Just after 9am, a Police van was travelling in the St Lukes area when they observed a stolen car.
The driver of that car, believed to be Haumia Manuel, has suddenly accelerated away and gone through a red light and out of sight. The Police van was not in pursuit at the time but has turned it’s lights on to safely go through the intersection to be able to see where the car had gone.
The fleeing driver has crashed into another car at the intersection of St Lukes Road and New North Road. The offender has then got out of the stolen car and has run down a line of traffic waiting at the lights, testing car doors.
He has come across a car, opened the door and pulled the driver out. Police officers chased him on foot and tried to stop him but he has got into the car and reversed in an attempt to get away, in doing this he has reversed into the owner of the car that he had just pulled out. The owner of the car was shaken and had some cuts and bruises but did not need to go to hospital. The person in the car in the first car that was crashed into was seen by ambulance at the scene but was also not required to go to hospital.
The offender has then fled in the stolen car. The car was found dumped outside a residential property in Harrington Road, Henderson.
Multiple Police units are in the area, including Police dog handlers. At this time Haumia Manuel has not been found.
Police are releasing a photo showing the clothing Huamia Manuel is believed to be wearing.
Anyone who sees Haumia Manuel should call 111 immediately.
He is considered to be dangerous and should not be approached.
ENDS
Beth Bates/NZ Police
