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A vehicle that was driven on the wrong side of the road and on footpaths in a bid to evade police and the Eagle helicopter.
The incident started about 2.45pm on Wednesday with a report of suspicious activity and finished about half an hour later with the vehicle boxed in by police cars in front of the polytechnic, and three people taken into custody.
Along the way, the vehicle had damaged another motorist’s car and been “observed travelling on the wrong side of the road, or along footpaths” at several points, a police statement said.
A witness said a silver hatchback was driving through central Hamilton at 50kmh mid-afternoon on Wednesday, with sections of bumper dragging behind it on the road.
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“At least eight police cars were in pursuit as a police helicopter circled overhead.”
Dozens of police cars were screaming down central Hamilton streets, with sirens on.
“An occupant of the car could be seen sticking his arm out the window on Anglesea St before it drove on the footpath and into a roadworks sign to evade police.”
Three young men wearing medical masks could be seen in the vehicle and one held a knife out the window and pulled the fingers while the vehicle headed down the road.
Tom Lee/Stuff
The car was spiked and eventually came to a stop in front of the Wintec campus on Anglesea St.
A group was later seen being apprehended by police further down the road, outside Wintec’s central campus.
A police spokesperson said police and the Eagle helicopter responded to an incident in Hamilton “involving a vehicle of interest” after a report of suspicious activity.
The vehicle didn’t stop when requested but ”police did not pursue, and instead tracked the vehicle using the Eagle helicopter,” the statement said.
The way the car was being driven had officers worried about public safety so they used their lights and sirens “to alert oncoming motorists and pedestrians”.
The car was spiked but carried on driving before being stopped by police on Anglesea Street about 3.15pm, and three people were taken into custody.
Kelly Hodel/Stuff
Three young men in medical masks were seen in the vehicle.
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