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Police say a teenager, sexually violated in her home by a bogus truancy officer who had lured her into his car, may have left scratch marks on the offender.
The hunt for the schoolgirl's attacker continued yesterday with police talking to motorists in the Hobsonville area where she
was snatched.
Detective Sergeant Steve Salton, of Henderson police, said the girl put up a fight as the man attacked her.
"She punched him a couple of times and tried to scratch him and may have left scratches on his neck."
Mr Salton said police had built up a more detailed description of the attacker - a fat or stocky Pacific Islander, aged about 40, about 165cm in height with very short hair.
The attack has prompted the Education Ministry to establish tougher guidelines and protocols for truancy officers.
Rawiri Brell, the ministry deputy secretary for early childhood and regional education, said truancy officers should never offer students rides unless someone else was present.
"Students need to know that genuine truancy officers will not transport them to school or home without someone else present."
That second adult should either be a police officer or school staff member and students should ask to see some form of identification from the adults.
At the moment rules surrounding truancy officers seem to vary from district to district. Some have identification, some use marked vehicles and other wear certain uniforms.
In some areas the officers do transport students back to school, while in other areas police officers are called in to do the job.
Mr Brell said other measures that were being put in place as a result of this week's attack included truancy officers having a written policy about the transport of students.
The policy should include methods by which the officers identified themselves and a rule saying they should immediately contact the student's school in any case of uncertainty or emergency - such as a student in distress.
Mr Salton said police had received several bits of information from locals but were still piecing things together.
The girl, who has been offered help from Victim Support, was recovering well from her ordeal. She had not yet returned to school. Anyone with information is asked to call Henderson police on (09) 839 0600.
