A man who was reported to be armed and threatening police is in custody after armed officers tackled him at a Clyde petrol station yesterday.
Central Otago sub-area commander Senior Sergeant Jill Woods, of Alexandra, said police were responding to a report of a man with a firearm about 11.20am.
The man had said he was intending to 'sort out' the Alexandra police.
Otago rural area commander Inspector Mike Cook, of Alexandra, told the Southland Times police were alerted to the 41-year-old man after he allegedly threatened a mental health worker at Dunstan Hospital.
Police were told that the man had a gun in his car and had threatened police, Mr Cook said.
"He told someone that he was off down to sort out the Alexandra police," he said. "That's what triggered our concern for our people."
Police found the man at Dunstan Motors and arrested him after a struggle at 1pm. Unconfirmed reports said a slug gun was found in his car.
Police were confident the man in custody was the person reported to have a firearm, and would continue their investigation.
Details of the man's identity were not available last night.
It was the second time in a week Central Otago police had been called to activity involving firearms.
On October 13, nine Alexandra police - some of them armed - sealed off a rural property near the town after reports two people, one of them possibly armed, were arguing.
That incident was not related to yesterday's, Snr Sgt Woods said.
