A man was hit over the head with brush after he didn't let a group of window washers clean his windscreen.

An Auckland man was hit over the head with a window cleaning brush after he refused to let a group of window washers clean his car windscreen.

The man was waiting at the lights at the intersection of Great South Road and Greenlane West shortly before 10.30pm on Wednesday when he was attacked.

Police said he had refused to let a group of at least three male window washers - commonly called "squeegee bandits" - clean his windscreen. When he got out of his car, one of them - allegedly a 17-year-old from Takanini - hit him with a window cleaning brush.

The man received a wound to his head which required hospital treatment.

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Police arrived at the scene shortly after and the group took off.

Officers chased down one of the men and caught two others a short time later during a wider search of the area.

They found stolen property on the washer who had hit the driver. The items had been burgled from a house on Great South Road on Tuesday night.

The 17-year-old has been charged with burglary and assault with a weapon, while the other two window washers were released.

The victim was released from hospital on Wednesday morning after being treated for a head wound.

Police say motorists should stay in their vehicles and not pay squeegee bandits.

Inspector Andy King of Auckland City Police said police frequently received calls from people concerned about window washers across Auckland.

"Window washers are intimidating and we are continuing to work with Auckland Council to stop them," he said.

"[D]on't engage with them at all if possible and don't pay them. If they're making money they will keep doing it."

Squeegee bandits caused problems by with intimidating behaviour and causing risk to traffic by darting around moving cars, King said.

Police have recently started getting service stations' brushes engraved or marked. If window washers are found using marked brushes, they can be charged with theft or receiving stolen property.

Police patrol affected intersections, and move window washers on where possible.

Where they are young persons under the age of 17, police will look to return them home or to school.

Auckland Council has pursued prosecution, or is in the process of pursuing prosecution, in 71 cases where window washers have breached its Public Safety and Nuisance Bylaw by washing in an unsafe and intimidating manner.

Police and the council were working together to identify offenders and prosecute them under the bylaw, Inspector King said.

"This is an ongoing challenge for us and we are putting a lot of work into stopping window washers, however in the meantime we ask the public to help us by making it not worth their while, don't pay them and don't engage with them."