Police are focusing on the car driven by two men who kidnapped a Lower Hutt youth on Friday night in a case of mistaken identity.
A 15-year-old boy was walking in Naenae about 5.45pm when he was "manhandled" into the back of a red hatchback car, Detective Todd Moore-Carter of Lower
Hutt police said.
The two kidnappers, described as African, drove him to a nearby area where they walked to a shed in the bush.
Once the boy proved his identity he was taken back to a park in the Hutt Valley about 7pm.
He phoned police soon after.
Police were today scouring their records for cars that matched that of the kidnappers -- an early model bright red Ford Laser with a silver door and a black louvre.
"I would have thought that the car is quite distinctive," Mr Moore-Carter told NZPA today.
The public had also tipped off police on a number of possible locations for the shed, which they would visit today.
Mr Moore-Carter said earlier the shed was quite distinctive. "It's either home-made or derelict."
It had a wooden floor and a number of barbecue gas bottles and bottles containing purple liquid, possibly methylated spirits.
He said police had confirmed the kidnapping was a case of mistaken identity but declined to comment on a possible motive.
"We're just keeping it to ourselves at the moment."
The two kidnappers were not known to the boy, but he recognised them as being east African and said they spoke poor English.
The teenager had today returned to school.
"We've offered counselling and stuff for him, but he's got strong family support," Mr Moore-Carter said.
- NZPA
