White van incidents: Men may have approached girls in Pyes Pa

Two men who tried to lure girls into their van in Rotorua may have made a similar approach in Tauranga days earlier, police say.

Last Monday two men in a white van attempted to lure three girls into their van in two separate incidents- one on Pukehangi Rd and one on Ford Rd.

Rotorua police area prevention manager Inspector Stuart Nightingale said the approaches may be linked to a similar event in Pyes Pa.

On August 18 about 5pm two men in a white van approached two children in the vicinity of 12 Acre Wood.

They allegedly tried to start a conversation with two girls who were walking their dog and requested to take their photographs, he said.

"On the face of it, this could easily be the same two men being sought for similar behaviour in Rotorua," Mr Nightingale said.

"This information has been shared with Tauranga Police."

In the Rotorua incidents the van pulled up alongside an 8-year-old girl who was walking home from school on Pukehangi Rd at 3.15pm. A passenger tried to entice the girl into the van.

The driver was described as a male European aged about 45-50 and the passenger a male European aged about 18.

At 3.30pm a similar van stopped beside two 11-year-old girls on Ford Rd and an attempt was made to entice them into the van.

The van was described as having tinted rear windows and a black stripe or stripes running along the length of the van.

No one was hurt, but police held "significant concerns as to the behaviours and intentions of the occupants of this white van".

The public are urged to provide any information to the Rotorua police, 111 or Crime Stoppers on 0800 555 111.