A man who eluded police, led them on a car chase and sparked an armed manhunt was arrested last night.
Dunedin police had been looking for a man after an alleged shoplifting incident at Gardens New World yesterday morning.
Armed police, including the armed offenders squad, flooded Norwood St in Northeast Valley about 11.30am after a white Holden Commodore was found abandoned in the driveway of a house in the street.
The street was cordoned off and dog handlers were deployed.
Earlier, police had followed the car on a short pursuit around North Dunedin.
A police spokesman said the armed offenders squad was stood down about 2pm.
Police lost track of the man during the pursuit in North Rd shortly before 11am. The car he was believed to be driving was found soon after.
He was believed to be visiting the area and it was not known if the house where the vehicle was abandoned was his residence, the spokesman said.
''The information we had was that an armed response may be necessary,'' the spokesman said.
''There was no confirmation that firearms were involved.''
Earlier, Otago coastal area commander Inspector Jason Guthrie said the man posed no danger to the public.
A Norwood St resident said he saw a man in the backyard of the house where the car had been abandoned.
''He was in the backyard for about 10 minutes burning [something] in a bucket,'' the man said.
''I thought this is really weird behaviour.''
He had passed the information on to police and was told the man was burning ''paper or something'', he said.
He said he saw the man flee shortly after police arrived in the street. He made his way down the stream, which backs on to the properties.
A 26 year old man was arrested without incident at a residential address in South Dunedin yesterday evening, police said.
Senior Sergeant Brian Benn said the man would appear in the Dunedin District Court today, charged with failing to stop and obtaining by deception.
Further charges could be laid once inquiries were completed, police said.
