A man who stole a precious Maori carving from an Auckland apartment fled on an electric scooter

Police are asking the public for help to identify the man who broke into the Fernz Apartments in Birkenhead -- just after five on Wednesday morning.

CCTV video shows him removing the carving from a wall, before walking down a hallway and zooming off on an electric scooter.

The man can be seen wearing distinctive white pants, a grey hoodie, a head torch and black gloves.