"To be quite honest, it's too early to say," he said.
Detective Constable Pete Sweeney of Tauranga CIB said Julie was safe and well and had been placed in the care of Child Youth and Family Services.
He said she was a victim in the case.
"Julie's family are grateful for all the assistance that has been given to the police to bring this matter to its conclusion," Mr Sweeney said.
Mr Glencross said police would be talking to Julie and Howard over the next few days.
He said discussions between Julie's family, police and CYFS would "decide what the best course of action is over the coming weeks and days".
Mr Glencross said the case had been unusual.
"Most situations involving kids being taken against their will or being taken, generally involve family members. It's unusual to have a situation, particularly one that's lasted so long, where it's someone from outside the family involved," Mr Glencross said.
HE said it appeared the relationship between Howard and Julie had "been going on for sometime" but was completely unknown to family.
Acting Senior Sergeant Karl Konlechner said it was believed Julie and Howard had been in Rotorua since the weekend.
Police close-in
Yesterday, a car belonging to Howard was found in Rotorua during the day, and he and Julie were seen in the city.
Police impounded the grey Subaru Legacy and police said Howard was without a vehicle unless he stole one.
"The net's closing in on him," Detective Constable Pete Sweeney said.
A member of the public reported seeing Howard and Julie walking in central Rotorua at 10am, but there had been no further sightings of them.
Julie disappeared with Howard 12 days ago, and the pair had refused repeated pleas from police to come forward. On Monday, police issued a warrant for Howard's arrest, saying he was now wanted for abduction.
Yesterday, Julie called a radio talkback station and said she was with Howard because she wanted to be. She and Howard were friends but she denied they were having a sexual relationship.
In the interview on RadioLive, Julie said she had run away with Howard because she did not want to be at home. "If I really wanted to go home, I would go home. I'm quite happy where I am."
She said she and Howard were in the Waikato area and had contacted police the previous day, knowing about the warrant for Howard's arrest. "I think it sucks," she said. "It's not his fault."
She characterised her relationship with Howard as "a friendship but nothing serious", telling the show's host she had met him while celebrating her stepfather's birthday at Waingaro Hot Springs.
Julie said she later got into trouble after she was seen with him at Mt Maunganui.
"My family, they were obviously disappointed in me. The school were disappointed in me. My friends ... To me, I had nothing there, and the only friend I had left was Craig."
She knew Howard had a police record but "he's never given me any reason to doubt him. He's never given me any reason to feel unsafe."
Asked about reports that she had enjoyed the attention sparked by her disappearance, Julie said: "I did have a little bit of a buzz in the beginning because I've never been in the news before."
