Police are looking for a woman who threatened a Work and Income staff member in Dunedin, prompting a lockdown of the department's central Dunedin office yesterday.
Ministry of Social Development southern regional commissioner Jason Tibble said the Work and Income office in central Dunedin was closed for a short time following the incident, but reopened with restricted access later in the day.
The city's two other service centres - in South Dunedin and Mosgiel - remained on restricted access for now, he said.
That meant only those with an appointment were allowed to enter the buildings until further notice, he said.
A MSD spokeswoman, contacted for further comment, declined to answer ODT questions.
``As this is now a police matter, they are best placed to provide further comment.''
A police spokeswoman said police were called about 12.20pm, after a member of the public made a ``verbal threat to staff''.
``Inquiries are ongoing to locate the woman involved,'' she said.
