Police are looking for a man who abandoned his vehicle after a brief chase in the Bay of Plenty.

Police were called to reports of a car doing burnouts and donuts on Ngongotaha Road, near Rotorua, about 3.30pm yesterday.

A vehicle was abandoned in the Bay following a police chase near Rotorua.

The car failed to stop for police and was abandoned on the cycleway between Russell and Railway roads.

Police and K9 units were seen at the scene searching for the driver last night.

At the time of the search, Senior Sergeant Mike Membery of the Bay of Plenty Police District Command Centre said police were still looking for the driver of the car that was the subject of an earlier police chase in Rotorua.

He said the car had been reported stolen earlier in the day.