A 24-year-old man has been arrested and is to appear in court tomorrow after a body was found inside a vehicle that had been driven to a police station.

Police tonight said he had been charged with an assault-related offence.

He is expected to appear in the Manukau District Court tomorrow.

A post-mortem was also due to take place on Saturday, and it was likely that the man’s charge would be upgraded, a police spokesperson said.

An entire South Auckland property has been cordoned off this evening with police confirming a scene examination would continue into the weekend.

An investigation was launched after a man brought the car to the Counties Manukau station about 1.10pm and approached the front counter, a police spokesperson said.

Shortly afterwards, officers found a dead person in the vehicle, police said.

Earlier police said the man was in custody and helping police with their inquiries into the incident.

Residents should expect a police presence as they examine a scene in South Auckland. Photo / Hayden Woodward

Police spent the afternoon and evening at an address on Mona Ave, Māngere Bridge, in relation to the death.

Emergency tape and a white forensic tent have been set up in the front yard.

Police said residents should expect an ongoing police presence “over the next few days” as the scene is examined.

Families on the street were earlier seen standing in their front yards, watching on as the police did their work.

The house at the centre of the police investigation backs onto a small reserve, where people were standing trying to catch a glimpse.

A neighbour said the residents mostly kept to themselves.

“They have been living there for a couple of years now but we have never really had much to do with them,” they said.

“We have never had any problems with them,” another said.

One neighbour said cop cars had arrived in the early afternoon and had been outside the address since.

“There were quite a few of them to begin with, but now there is only one that has been there all afternoon,” they said.