Police and members of the armed offenders squad spent more than three hours at the Columba Ave house, before departing about 6.40pm, Senior Sergeant Craig Dinnissen said.
They were searching for Jeremy Phillip Clark (42), an associate of Bandidos MC, who was wanted on assault charges, he said.
The search began about 3.30pm, after information received from a member of the public, but proved fruitless, he said.
''The address was searched by AOS - they did it from top to toe - and it turned out negatively, unfortunately.''
The operation saw armed police at cordons in Columba Ave, while members of the public and motorists were kept back and residents were unable to return to their homes.
One resident, Brie Daniels (32), waited in her car for more than an hour, before eventually being allowed into her street.
''They won't tell us anything. All I got told was there's people up there with guns,'' she told the Otago Daily Times as she waited.
Another resident, who declined to be named, said her daughter was growing used to armed police in the street.
''My daughter knows what an assault rifle looks like now.''
Police have been searching for Clark for more than a month, and it was the second time the same Columba Ave house had been searched, Snr Sgt Dinnissen said.
Clark, who is 1.77m tall and of solid build, was still believed to be in the Dunedin area.
Police said he should not be approached, and anyone with information should contact Dunedin police on (03) 471-4800 or Crimestoppers on 0800 555-111.
