Watch: Man clings to back of moving prison van in Auckland CBD

Author: Imogene Bedford,
Publish Date: Wed, 24 Jun 2026, 2:31pm

A clip of a man clinging to the back of a prisoner transport vehicle in Auckland’s CBD has prompted concern from Corrections.

The footage, shared on social media, shows the man riding on the rear of the Corrections van as it travels along Hobson St towards the busy Southern Motorway.

Deputy Commissioner for Men’s Prisons Liz Hawthorn told the Herald the person in the video was not a prisoner, but Corrections was “concerned” by the incident.

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

Hawthorn said prisoner escort services in Auckland are operated by a contractor, which will now report the incident to police.

“They have spoken with their drivers, who were unaware of this incident at the time but were informed by a member of the public after it had happened yesterday.

“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 received any reports of the incident when approached for comment by the Herald.

Commenters on the video shared their disbelief at the man’s daring gambit.

“Wait till he hits the motorway”, one person wrote. “Better hold on tight.”

“That’s a risky ride your lucky you didn’t end up inside it”, another said.

Others were shocked the driver had failed to notice his unexpected cargo.

“Shows how often the driver uses his mirrors”, someone wrote.

Another asked, “no one honks or flashes their lights to alert the driver?”