Seven police officers took down a wanted man in a brief but dramatic pursuit along Oamaru's main shopping street yesterday.
The man was being arrested just after 2pm and had just kissed a woman with a pram goodbye.
A witness said the man then ''kind of got out of their grips'' and started sprinting away from the officers, across Thames St.
He was instantly pursued by five uniformed police officers and two in plain clothes.
The officers tackled the man to the ground after a pursuit, lasting about 30 seconds.
''He was quite big, that's why he didn't get very far,'' the witness said.
Staff from businesses on the street who rushed outside to follow the action said it was exciting.
''The off-duty cop - as we were walking up to see what was going to happen - just ran right past us. It was great,'' one woman said.
She then watched the man's partner walk with the pram to where they were arresting the man, before following him to the police car, putting her baby in her car and taking a photo of him in the police car.
Sergeant Tony Woodbridge, of Oamaru, said, the 25-year-old Hastings man was well known to police.
He had ''several warrants out for his arrest'' for matters in Hastings.
He will appear in the Dunedin District Court today on four criminal charges and three for breaching arrest conditions.
