Police warning of men approaching school children in Tauranga

Police have this afternoon confirmed reports of suspicious approaches and comments made to school-age children by adults in different suburbs of Tauranga.

Tauranga police are warning of suspicious men approaching school children in residential suburbs.

Police have confirmed to the Bay of Plenty Times this afternoon there had been reports of suspicious adults approaching and making comments to school-age children in different suburbs around Tauranga.

There has been no pattern linked to any of the activity.

In a written statement, a police spokesman said officers asked that any other approaches of this nature be reported immediately to police via 111.

All matters would be investigated with urgency, the spokesman said.

"Police will communicate to the community when specific risks or further details are identified.

"Incidents like this are a timely reminder for families to have discussions around behaviours and actions that are inappropriate or that make a child feel uncomfortable, rather than concentrating on the types of people that could harm them.

"We actively encourage people to tell children and young adults to report anything that makes them feel unsafe or uncomfortable. This can be to a trusted adult, a teacher or the police."

The warning comes after Otumoetai Intermediate School advised parents it had received reports "from a number of parents that there is a man in the Otumoetai, Matua, Pillans Point area approaching young people".

A man described as a middle-aged white male, six foot tall and of medium build has been reported to have approached an Otumoetai College student on Little John Drive on Monday.

Principal Henk Popping said the student immediately went up the closest drive where they thought someone was home. The man waited around by the end of the driveway for some time before eventually leaving.

Popping said he wanted to make parents aware and to talk to their children about "if there is a male coming close to you, or lays a hand on you, to have a plan to deal with it".

"That's really where we are coming from. It's just really highlighting concerns that have been raised by various parents and making sure our students are empowered."

Popping said the school had a duty of care and he would rather raise awareness than regret not saying anything at all if something happened.