Two men have been charged with burglary after an incident this morning which saw a third man die while trying to avoid arrest.
Inspector Clifford Paxton said police were called to Surf Rd in Mount Maunganui at 3.40 this morning after three men were seen loading timber into a vehicle.
As police arrived they blocked the vehicle’s exit path. One of the men, aged 32, was arrested as he tried to leave the vehicle through the boot.
Police chased the other two on foot. A 53-year-old man was arrested, but the third man, aged 37, ran into the surf to avoid arrest.
“For their own safety, the officer elected not to follow the man into the surf and additional police units began a shoreline search. About 5am, the body of a man was found a short distance up Omanu Beach.
“Despite efforts from Police, FENZ and ambulance crews, the man was unable to be revived,” Paxton said.
A post-mortem will be carried out in the coming days and the results will be referred to the Coroner.
Police have carried out a scene examination and interviews with those involved.
The 53-year-old man has been charged with burglary by night and assaulting Police, while the 32-year-old man has been charged with burglary and driving while disqualified.
Both are due to appear in court today.