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Police are investigating after a man reportedly performed a brazen indecent act towards a young person in the South Auckland suburb of Pukekohe.
Earlier this week an anonymous Facebook user posted that their teenage daughter was followed by a man in his car.
“Hewaited til [sic] no one else was around before pulling up beside her,” the post claimed, adding the man was “topless” and had his “pants down”.
Counties Manukau South CIB Detective Senior Sergeant Simon Taylor said a vehicle drove up to the victim on Cape Hill Rd about 4.45pm on Sunday and stopped when the offending occurred.
“Police are ensuring the victim is supported and our inquiries are in the very early stages,” Taylor said.
He pleaded for anyone in the community who saw a light grey or blue hatchback at the time to contact police via the 105 phone service, using the reference number 250224/9400.
“We continue to urge parents to remind their children to be vigilant when out in the community and be wary of anyone they don’t know approaching them,” Taylor said.
“While we recognise the community will discuss areas in their patch on social media, it’s vital suspicious behaviour or offending is reported to police as soon as possible by calling 111.”
The man was arrested on February 15 and appeared in the Auckland District Court on February 19 charged with two counts of indecent act.
The young girl’s father, who asked not to be named, made an appeal on a community social media page after searching for the alleged offender himself when his daughter came home distressed.
A photo of the vehicle driven by a man accused of performing an indecent act in front of an Auckland schoolgirl. Photo / NZ Police
He said she got off the school bus at the Royal Oak end of Manukau Rd and was beginning her short walk home.
“She was followed by a man with shoulder-length hair driving an old, rusty, beige van.
“As he pulled up next to her she saw that he was naked and touching himself.”
Multiple reports of ‘suspicious activity’ in West Auckland this month
It came after several reports of a man allegedly attempting to pull school-aged children into his vehicle.
In a message sent to a school Facebook group on February 14, viewed by the Herald, Massey’s Lincoln Heights School principal said it had received two reports of a male allegedly trying to force women and children into his car that morning.
“One of our parents was ‘grabbed’ on her way back to the car after dropping her children off at school,” the post claimed. “The assailant has tried to force her into his car but fortunately she was able to get away.”
The school alleged the same man then attempted to “pull some students into his car” near the Triangle Rd roundabout.
It claimed it may have been the same vehicle and person who allegedly assaulted a 16-year-old girl at the Sturges Rd train station in Henderson earlier that week.
Other posts shared on Facebook by members of the public contained images of the person and vehicle they alleged to be responsible.
Waitematā West area commander Inspector Jason Edwards said at the time police were aware of social media posts across “multiple West Auckland community pages” regarding reports of suspicious activity.
“Some of these posts relate to an assault near the Sturges Rd train station on Monday morning, in which a man was charged with assault. We are also aware of posts outlining suspicious activity allegedly involving the same specific vehicle and individual,” Edwards said.
“To the community, we are aware of this matter and we are dealing with this.”
Edwards said police “strongly urge” the community to cease posting photos or personal details of this individual on social media, and not take matters into their own hands.
“Police have attended an assault at a Massey property this afternoon, where a person has been arrested and is being spoken to,” he said.
“The last thing anyone needs right now is people putting themselves at risk of harm or in a situation where they may be potentially committing an offence.”
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