Retired couple Ben and Shirley Kristensen were enjoying a quiet morning at their Courtney Road home when all of the sudden Police swarmed on their driveway and began poking about in their hedges.

Police were searching for a gun case they believe was dropped in the couple's drive by a man they received calls about acting suspiciously in the area and possibly carrying a gun.

Shirley and Ben Kristensen point to where police pulled the gun case, and gun, from their hedges.

The man was spotted walking in the vicinity of the Greerton WINZ offices, prompting fast police action.

Shirley, who was sewing in the living room, says she heard a commotion and looked outside to see four police cars and numerous officers

'I was getting concerned, Ben was in the other room, so I called him and said I was going outside to see what's happening.

'I thought it might be a bomb or something.”

She says police told her a man had dropped a gun case in the hedge running between their driveway and their neighbours.

Police told her they had the gun case and needed to take photographs.

'They went away and came back with a blanket, and put the case on the blanket and took photos.”

Shirley says police then opened the case and pulled out a black gun.

They then took photographs of the gun.

'It was definitely a gun, my husband said it looked like a 22 rifle, with a telescope.”

Police then told the couple they were speaking with the man involved, and left the property.

They told Shirley the man has been walking away from the WINZ site when he dropped the gun in hedges, she says.

Western Bay of Plenty Area Commander Inspector Clifford Paxton says police found a slug gun in a carry case.

The man advised police he had the slug gun in his possession with the intention to sell it, he says.

No threats have been made to anyone in the vicinity, including those in the nearby WINZ office.