Watch: Man grabs unexpected ride on back of Corrections van

Wednesday, 24 June 2026

A man has been filmed holding onto the back of a moving Corrections prisoner escort vehicle as it travelled through central Auckland.

Video shared by Checkpoint Watch Auckland shows the man standing on the rear step of the vehicle and gripping the back of the van as it drove along Hobson St on Tuesday.

Corrections says the man was not a prisoner.

Deputy Commissioner of Men’s Prisons Liz Hawthorn said Corrections was concerned whenever a member of the public put themselves in danger.

“Corrections is concerned anytime a member of the public puts themselves in danger, particularly when holding onto a moving vehicle as the outcome could have been worse had they fallen off or been involved in an accident,” she said.

Hawthorn said prisoner escort services in the Auckland region were provided by a contractor.

The drivers were unaware of the incident at the time but were informed afterwards by a member of the public.

“They will be reporting this incident to Police,” Hawthorn said.

“I have asked the contractor to remind their staff about remaining vigilant, particularly when driving through urban areas, and to report any suspicious activity to Police immediately.”

Police said they had not yet received a report about the incident and were unable to provide further details.