Wellington  - A suspected bank robber was taken to hospital for a checkup when he complained of exhaustion after being chased by Auckland police for half an hour, news reports said Thursday.

The street chase began after he allegedly passed a threatening note to a bank teller in suburban Mount Eden.

Police used a helicopter to help officers on the ground track the man after he ran from the bank, and at one point, he got on a bus in a vain attempt to escape, the Newstalk ZB radio network reported.

After his capture, police suspended their interrogation to take the exhausted suspect to hospital. (dpa)