A mystery man harassed a woman on Mount Maunganui beach yesterday - and is believed to be the same person who exposed himself to two women a week ago.
Yesterday morning's victim was walking along the beach near Waiariki St when a man with missing teeth appeared and tried to have a conversation.
The woman kept walking and the man followed, continuing to talk to her.
Detective Sergeant Darryl Brazier said the man's "nuisance" behaviour was concerning in light of last week's incidents.
On July 2, police were called to the beach near Sunbrae Grove when a naked, aroused man confronted two women separately who were walking on Papamoa beach. He then left.
Mr Brazier said the woman yesterday was not assaulted but was uncomfortable with the man's persistence. The man eventually left the woman and walked off towards Maranui St but she was disturbed enough that she soon called police. The man was not found despite a search.
"We think these could be the same person. We are certainly looking at both incidents," Mr Brazier said.
Both culprits had similar descriptions.
The man encountered yesterday was described as Polynesian with olive skin and about 1.73m. He was believed to be 45-55 years old, of medium to solid build, with missing upper front teeth, and wearing a blue T-shirt and black trackpants.
Mr Brazier said the man may also wear prescription glasses.
Police would like to hear from anyone who might recognise this man.
"We want to talk to this guy in the event that this escalates," Mr Brazier said.
Anyone who recognises the man's description are asked to call Tauranga police on 577 4300 or leave anonymous information on 0800 Crimestoppers.
Beach pervert: What residents are saying
Arataki resident, Gaynor Smith.
It's disgusting. I've been walking down the beach and I've seen men facing you with their legs wide apart, lying on the ground. They're lying there naked and this is a public place. They're close to the residential area so it's not very nice.
I don't go walking down that part of the beach because what they're doing is deliberate. It would be okay if they were up in the dunes and no one saw them but they're down on the beach and it's over the top. I've heard it's a meeting place for gay men.
I go walking every day but very rarely do I walk down there. I think it's disgusting and there's no need for it. I bring my grandchildren down here but I wouldn't take them anywhere near [that area of the beach].
Graeme McCabe.
It's disturbing, especially if this type of thing is happening in the day time. I would expect it more to happen down [the southern end] of the beach but not up here. I think it's inappropriate, completely inappropriate."
His wife Brenda McCabe said: "I come down on my own quite a bit so it's quite frightening but I always carry my mobile phone. We very rarely come down to the beach when it's dark but we come down quite regularly.
Jeanette Dibble
I live up here, right on the top of the dunes. Yeah I've had an incident down here, it was a couple of Saturdays ago and there was this guy drawing in the sand and he was about 50ish so I thought that was a bit strange.
Then my dog went up and gave him a sniff, then he whacked my dog with a stick then he started [swearing] then he picked up the stick and threw it at me.
I really should have called the police. He was really aggressive and obviously doing drugs. I live in the apartments right across the road so I come down here a couple of times a day. I never walk down any further though, I don't go that way.
Neville Harlick
I've lived here for eight years. I'm not really concerned by this. All sorts of people seem to wander down to the beach. There used to be a problem with cars parked in the carpark on Friday nights but the council fixed that when they put up the gates. I go down every day when it's nice, usually in the morning. I've been away for three weeks and been unwell so haven't been down there recently.
