A MAN has been charged by police for wielding a knife in public and detaining a man during an incident in Wollongong on Thursday.

Between 2.30pm and 3pm, emergency services received reports that a man was threatening people with a knife while walking along Crown Street.

Wollongong police attended and were told the man had gotten into the back seat of a Holden Commodore. The armed man allegedly threatened the driver with the knife, demanding he drive him to his home in West Wollongong. The driver stopped a short time later and refused to take him any further.

The man then continued to threaten people with the knife while again walking along Crown Street.

Police went to a home on the Princes Highway, West Wollongong, a short time later and spoke to a 26-year-old man, who allegedly fought officers and resisted arrest before being subdued. He was arrested and taken to Wollongong Police Station where he was charged with wielding a knife in public place; detaining a person for advantage; resisting police; and a number of other offences.