A man is on the run after stabbing another man in Kaitaia this afternoon, police say.
Police said the offender was reportedly attempting to break into a vehicle in town before members of the public intervened and he left.
He then went to Mathews Avenue, where there was an altercation and a 22-year-old man was stabbed in the stomach, shortly after 2pm.
"The exact circumstances of the altercation are yet to be established, however at this stage it does not appear that the offender and victim are known to each [other]," a police spokesperson said.
A scene examination is under way, and police are asking anyone who witnessed suspicious behaviour in Kaitaia to contact them.
The victim remains in Whangarei Hospital in a serious but stable condition.
