19 Nov 2016

Schools increase safety messages after boy attacked

6:48 am on 19 November 2016

West Auckland schools are taking steps to keep children in the area safe after a boy was abducted and sexually assaulted.

Ranui train station

Ranui train station Photo: Google Maps

The 11-year-old was taken after school on Thursday from a street in Ranui and assaulted before being dropped back into the area.

A man driving a grey van stopped and asked the boy for directions, then abducted him, police said.

Ranui School board of trustees chair Malia Tuala said a lot of children walked home in the busy area.

She said the schools had spoken to the police and kept up their safety messages.

Ms Tuala said she was devastated for the boy and his family.

"As a parent, it just makes me sick to my stomach as a parent," she said.

"As a board chair, as a teacher the absolute priority is to keep our children safe."

Ms Tuala said the attack was sickening and she was devastated for the boy and his family.

Police increased patrols in the area after the attack.

Detective Senior Sergeant Jason McIntosh asked anyone with information on the attack, or may have seen the grey van, to contact him on 021 191 2659, or give information anonymously to Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111.