Police say no sinister motive in suspected North Shore abduction attempt

An 11-year-old boy was approached by a stranger in a white van on his way to a Northcote school on Wednesday. Photo / File

Police say they have spoken to the man who approached a schoolboy on Wednesday morning and are satisfied he had no sinister motive.

Police were given information from members of the public who had witnessed the interaction and had noted the van's registration number.

Through that information police were able to identify the vehicle and locate the owner, said police spokeswoman Shelley Nahr.

The schoolboy was approached by an unknown man in a white van on Wednesday morning on his way to Northcote Intermediate.

The approach, the second of its kind in the past few weeks, prompted a warning to all schools in the Northcote area of Auckland's North Shore.

However, police have now said after speaking with the man they do not believe he was attempting to abduct the child.

"We have spoken with him regarding the incident and are comfortable he had no sinister motive," Nahr said.

"We have reminded the man that offering an unknown child a lift to school can cause alarm to that child and may be considered suspicious by members of the public."

Nahr said police applauded the boy for telling his parents, and encouraged any child in a similar situation to report it to police.

"We would rather be told of an incident, investigate it and find out there was no criminal offence, than have not been told at all."