Gisborne Police Station. Photo: RNZ / Rebekah Parsons-King
Police are searching for a dirt biker who was seen holding a "lit incendiary device" outside the Gisborne police station early on Sunday morning.
The person was seen at 4.50am as a police unit was leaving the station, on Gladstone Road.
"Upon seeing the police unit, the rider dropped the device and fled on the dirt bike," police said.
"Efforts to locate the bike and its rider have so far not been successful."
The bike was described as large and white, possibly with yellow trim.
The item the rider dropped had been examined.
Anyone with information was urged to call police on 105 and quote reference number P060195550.