Dedicated police team follows leads on horror quarry bashing in West Auckland timber yard

A dedicated team has been set up by police to follow leads in the case of a woman who suffered a vicious assault at a Riverhead quarry.

The woman was last seen at a Mobil service station on Ponsonby Rd in Auckland on Saturday night, and does not recall anything from the time she was at the Pride Parade in Ponsonby until she woke up at the quarry to see a man standing over her with a baseball bat.

Detective Senior Sergeant Kim Libby told the Herald they have had "quite a few calls" regarding the case, and have set up a team to follow leads from the public and officers.

CCTV footage released from a nearby timberyard on Sawmill Rd show a car entering the remote quarry about 1.45am, before leaving at high speed 16 minutes later.

Police said it was highly likely that the victim was inside the vehicle as it drove down the quarry driveway.

Libby said police did not believe the car was also seen at the Mobil service station.

"We believe it is highly likely that the victim is inside this car and possibly unconscious when the car enters the quarry," he said.

"We are consulting with automotive experts as to the possible make and model of this car, but we want to hear from anyone who may recognise this vehicle."

The woman woke up in the quarry partially naked, in what police are describing as a "vicious assault".

She was last seen in Ponsonby about 10.20pm on Saturday before she woke, beaten and battered, four hours later and 25km away near Riverhead Forest, north of Auckland.

She woke in the quarry to the horrifying sight of a man standing over her with a bat, however she was able to flee.

"She yelled at him, got up and ran away and managed to escape. It was obviously very dark at the time," Libby told the Herald.

Libby said the victim is still recovering from her ordeal, and she has spoken to detectives.

Forensic tests have been taken to determine whether the woman had been drugged or stupefied.

Meanwhile, police are trying to identify and find the man seen talking to the victim outside the Mobil station on the corner of Ponsonby and Karangahape Rds earlier in the evening.

They were also following up on several calls from members of the public.

"This man is still the last person who has spoken to our victim before she has been attacked. This man may well be innocent but equally, we have to work on the strong possibility that this man could also be the man driving that car into the quarry. I am asking the public to consider whether they know anyone who fits the description of this man, who drives a car that looks like this, or someone who has access to a car that looks like this," said Libby.

A timberyard owner in the West Auckland industrial park said the vacant lot where the woman was attacked was used by many trucks during daylight.

It was also frequented by a large number of vehicles outside work hours.

"You'd be amazed at how many cars drive up and down in that area. For a dead-end road there's a lot of interest," said the sawmill owner.

He said security guards monitored the area, visiting the remote site during the night.

Police have appealed for anyone with information to contact the inquiry team on 021 191 4085.

Private messages can also be sent to the Waitemata Police Facebook page.