Police are investigating the possibility of a serial sex offender on Auckland's North Shore after an indecent assault of a young woman getting into her car on Saturday night.
Detective Sergeant Scott Armstrong of the North Shore CIB said the woman was lucky to have fought offthe man, but the attack had sinister overtones and there were fears he could strike again - or that he might have struck in the past.
He said officers wanted to hear from anyone who had been approached by a man under similar circumstances but had not contacted the police.
Mr Armstrong said the attacker, described as a young Asian man in his teens or early 20s, approached the 21-year-old woman as she got into her car, which was parked near the intersection of Sycamore Drive and Sunnynook Rd about 6.30pm on Saturday.
"She'd caught the bus there from the city," Mr Armstrong said.
She was in the driver's seat with the door open and saw the attacker as she looked up. He was standing there next to her.
"He moved as if to get into the compartment with her and she managed to sort of put her foot up and kick him, or push him away with her legs.
"He put his hands up the inside of her leg but she managed to successfully push him away with her legs and he ran away."
Mr Armstrong said police wanted to hear from anyone who witnessed the incident.
"We're obviously concerned. There's some pretty sinister overtones about that and we're pretty sure of his intentions. Obviously he did sexually assault her during the course of it which is pretty concerning."
The victim was shocked but unharmed.
Mr Armstrong said police did not want to cause unnecessary public alarm, but they were looking at the possibility of links to similar incidents in the nearby Forrest Hill area in December.
He was reluctant to reveal details of the incidents but said they included a person described as of Asian descent approaching young women.
Mr Armstrong said the woman in Saturday's attack had been offered Victim Support services.
CAN YOU HELP? Anyone with information is asked to call or text police immediately on 027 4949 112.
