Missing girl last seen with stranger

18-year-old Jiayi Li (left), also known as Kiko, was last seen in the early hours of May 19. Photo / Supplied

A friend who was with Jiayi Li the day she disappeared said the Chinese teenager was last seen driving off with a man the friend had not seen before.

Miss Li, also known as Kiko, was last seen at about 2am on May 19 after she dropped the friend and another male in New North Rd, in Kingsland, before driving off.

"We were stuck because our car got towed away so I texted Kiko to come get us," said the friend, who has known Kiko for about six months.

"When Kiko came, there was another Chinese guy in the car whom we have not met before. He was very quiet and did not say anything throughout the journey and they drove off together after dropping us."

She said Miss Li picked them up in her red 1998 Toyota Altezza saloon, registration number EDB121, outside the AIC building in Airedale St about 1am on May 19.

Police inquiries revealed Miss Li bought petrol at 1.19am at the Shell service station in Beach Rd.

She then travelled with two male friends to a vehicle recovery yard near Newton Rd, before going to New North Rd where she was reportedly last seen by the two males, police say.

But the friend said she was in the car with them and that Miss Li was last seen driving off with one of the men.

"She dropped two of us off, and then the two of them just drove off. That was the last time any of us saw her."

The friend said Miss Li loved playing pool and singing karaoke and was a regular at Happy Pool in Hobson St and Partyworld karaoke in Newton.

She said Miss Li did not introduce the man she was with, who was wearing a black jersey and jeans.

Another friend, who did not want to be named, described Miss Li as a very friendly person and a party animal, and said it was not unusual for her to go out with someone she had just met.

"Kiko always says life in New Zealand is boring and has found friends online to go out with," she said.

In one web profile, Miss Li claimed to be 21 years old and on another called herself Kiko Lee.

In her last blog entry, on May 13, Miss Li uploaded photos she took in China and wrote in Chinese that she was feeling "sweet".

Police yesterday made another search of her Morningside apartment.

A friend of the former owner of Miss Li's vehicle contacted police saying he had seen the car in Franklin Rd about noon on May 25, but there had been no confirmed sightings of Miss Li, police said.

Detective Senior Sergeant John Sutton said police were very concerned about Miss Li's safety and it was vital that those who knew where she or her car was contact the police.

"Inquiries with banks show there's been no activity on her usual bank account since May 19. Her mobile phone has not been polling since she left the Newton Rd area."

HAVE YOU SEEN KIKO?

Phone Crimestoppers on 0800 555111