Community rallies to find 'active little boy'

SAFE AND SOUND: Police constable Tawhai Schuster carries 2-year-old Avery Martin home after he went missing for more than an hour. PHOTOS/RUTH KEBER

Tauranga police clapped and cheered after a young boy missing for more than an hour was returned to his family yesterday.

The cheeky face of 2-year-old Avery Martin peeked over the shoulder of police Constable Tawhai Schuster as she carried him home.

At least 14 police cars lined the street as officers grinned at the great result.

The toddler was reported missing about 10am after he ran out the front door of his grandfather's Bellevue Rd home.

His mother Rikee Reynolds, who is visiting from Australia with her children, said Avery has autism spectrum disorder and is an active little boy.

A police officer carries Avery Martin back home after he went missing on Bellvue Rd. Photo/Ruth Keber

"You take your eye off him for a minute and he's gone," she said, speaking to the Bay of Plenty Times from her father's home.

"He has done this before so I thought he'd just be around the neighbourhood but the longer the time went on the more worried we were."

Ms Reynolds was checking with neighbours when a man offered to call police.

Patrol cars swarmed the end of the street in minutes and officers got under way searching surrounding properties and a nearby gully, as well as waterways.

Avery's identical twin brother was dressed in a matching blue onesie and grey trackpants and a photo of him was shared by police to notify the public if they saw him.

Because of his condition, Avery does not respond to his name so is harder to find, his mother said.

"He gets fixated on things so we didn't know where he would be and what he'd be doing."

Police officers were seen searching every driveway, checking in and around gardens.

"It's a long time to be missing," Ms Reynolds said, "especially because he's so active so he could be quite far away".

As the time stretched on, she got more and more worried, she said.

When Constable Schuster brought the little boy back snuggled in her arms, Ms Reynolds was "just overwhelmed".

"The police did an awesome job. We're so thankful ... I just can't speak highly enough of them."

Ms Reynolds also wanted to thank all the neighbours for rallying together for the search.

Avery was found at the back of a neighbour's property about 100m down the road.

"He'd gone down a long driveway," she said.

Surrounding residents had seen reports on Facebook that the boy was missing, recognised him and handed him over to police nearby.

Police officers were all smiles as they walked the child home.

"So good to have a great result," one said.