Police on Panmure carjacking: 'Extreme and unnecessary violence'

Police continue to hunt for two young women who bashed a 65-year-old woman in what officers described as an act of extreme violence.

At a press conference in Glen Innes this afternoon, detective senior sergeant Paul Newman said officers were yet to speak Nancy Voon - the victim who was left with a broken bone in her face, chipped teeth and bruising all over her body after being repeatedly kicked in the stomach and head.

"The assault itself was an act of gratuitous, extreme and unnecessary violence. And we are determined to locate the people responsible and bring them to justice,'' Newman said.

Police had received a number of positive lines of inquiry, Newman said, which officers were following up.

However, he encouraged anyone who may recognise the pair - or may have seen them earlier in the day - to do the right thing and come forward.

"The people who are responsible obviously need to be caught. The amount of violence used was completely unnecessary.''

Asked whether any weapons were involved in the brutal attack, Newman said he could not comment on that at this stage.

He did not offer any explanations as to what may have motivated the young women to carry out their daylight attack.

Newman acknowledged that the public had been helpful and that a number of sightings of the vehicle that the girls were using had been reported.

That vehicle - a red Honda Fit - had earlier been stolen and was recovered in Mangere last night. The elderly victim's vehicle was found dumped in Flat Bush.

Newman said Voon's family had been co-operating with police and there had been huge support for them.

"The victim was a very vulnerable member of our community, which makes the attack even more upsetting and gratuitous.''

**The offenders are described as being Maori or of Pacific Island descent.

**Anyone with information is asked to call police on 111.