An Auckland couple flouted alert level 4 lockdown rules by crossing the border and flying to their holiday home in Wanaka, police say.

The couple – a 26-year-old woman and 35-year-old man – crossed the alert level 4 border using essential worker exemptions.

They then drove to Hamilton Airport, before flying to their holiday home in Wanaka.

A police spokesperson said the couple would be prosecuted after failing to return to their place of residence within the alert level 4 area after leaving for approved essential personal movement.

The couple would be issued with a summons to appear in court in the coming week, police said.

Police said the event was one of a “small number” of disappointing incidents at Auckland’s southern boundary recently.

Other incidents include a group of three who were stopped at the Mangatawhiri Road/State Highway 2 checkpoint on Saturday when they attempted to cross the boundary under the guise of essential workers.

The group presented checkpoint staff with a document containing the letterhead of an essential business.