An Armed Offenders Squad, dog units and the Eagle helicopter are searching Waikato for a dangerous man.
Police are warning people in south Waikato not to pick up hitchhikers as a dangerous man runs from police.
The man took off from a Tokoroa petrol station in a stolen car at around 9am, sparking a police pursuit down State Highway One.
The man abandoned the vehicle down a forestry road and ran into the bush with a gun, closing State Highway 30 and Ongaroto Road from Whakamaru.
An Armed Offenders Squad, dog units and Eagle helicopter are searching the wider Whakamaru, Mangakino and Kinleith areas.
Police say people in the area need to be careful.
They've said it's too early to tell whether it's related to the search for King Country Mongrel Mob member Thomas Coffin.
Newshub.
