Cordons had been put in place in a residential area in the afternoon and the bomb disposal unit was in attendance, a police spokesperson said in a statement. Houses in the neighboring streets were evacuated as a precaution.
A man had been arrested and was speaking with police about the incident, the statement said.
One resident told the New Zealand Herald there was a "big" police presence.
"There's an empty section which is full of police cars and police, lots of them," she said.
"A fire engine was parked opposite but that's all I know - there's something going on."
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