Police say an officer in Waikato had to run for his life after a car he was pursuing crashed and a man emerged from it, threatening him with a gun.
They are still looking for the gunman, who they say should not be approached.
Superintendent Winston Van Der Velde says after the man crashed on Gordonton Road, he got out of his car brandishing a handgun at the police dog handler, who backed away.
The gunman made the threats before making off with the dog handler's vehicle.
Mr Van Der Velde says the officer had to dodge as the offender did a u-turn and drove at him.
The officer's dog jumped back into the police van when the offender got in to start the ignition. The officer was able to pull his dog to safety as the man drove off in the police vehicle.
Truck drivers helped police track the van and it was found at a rural property in Tahuna about 30 km away.
The car was at the centre of an earlier pursuit which was abandoned about 5pm on Thursday. Its driver reached up to 140 km an hour in the second chase before losing control.
