A man tried to force a 10-year-old boy into the boot of a car in Whangarei as the boy was walking home from school, police say.
Photo: RNZ / Rebekah Parsons-King
Detective Sergeant Dave Hamilton said the boy was heading home with two other children on McClintock Street in Whau Valley just after 3pm yesterday, when the man stopped a silver older-model four-door sedan in the middle of the street.
"The male driver got out of the vehicle, opened the boot, grabbed the 10-year-old by his backpack and tried to force him into the boot of the car," Mr Hamilton said.
"As this was happening the boy managed to escape and the children ran away from the offender and hid in bushes."
They later began continuing home but saw a silver car further down the street, so hid in bushes again, eventually returning home about 4pm.
The driver was described as European, with black or brown curly shoulder-length hair and was wearing a black hoodie and black jeans, with tattoos on both forearms, Mr Hamilton said.
"This was a busy time of day and there would have been a lot of after-school traffic in that area, so we're hoping someone may have witnessed this happen or saw a car or person matching the description," he said.
Anyone with information could contact Mr Hamilton on 09 430 4596 or call Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111.
