New Zealand / Regional

Hunt for hammer-and-bandana burglar

20:36 pm on 27 April 2016

Police are hunting a hammer-brandishing burglar who crashed his vehicle trying to flee a Hawke's Bay house.

The man broke into a young couple's Napier home early on Sunday morning and walked into their bedroom wearing a bandana and holding a hammer.

He left after a short time in a car which took off at high speed, but hit a tree stump on the way out of the driveway.

Damaged parts were left behind, which the police said they believed belong to a two-tone dark Toyota RAV4. The car was likely to have a broken bumper.

Detectives said two people were in the car but only one went into the house.