Whangārei Intermediate School has warned parents of students who attend to walk home with a buddy, after a female student was the victim of an alleged kidnapping incident on Wednesday.
Prinicpal Hayley Read told 1 NEWS today the incident happened on Third Avenue when the girl was walking home from school.
Sergeant Josh Lautogo of the Whangārei CIB said police were called at 3.55pm on Wednesday after the student had been approached by a man in a vehicle.
Read alerted parents on the school’s Facebook page, saying the man had driven across the road and pulled up alongside the girl, asking if she wanted a ride.
Read said the girl escaped the man’s grasp and ran all the way home.
The man was described as older, possibly in his 50s with a dark complexion, with grey stubble and wearing a black beanie. He was driving a “beaten-up older red car”, Read said.
She said the girl’s mother has reported to the police and has now arranged for a buddy to walk with her to and from school.
Parents were urged to not let their children walk alone following the incident.
Lautogo says police have spoken with the girl and made sure victim support is available.
“Police will be making further inquiries into the incident and we ask that anyone with information to contact us on 105 quoting the file number 210217/6157,” he said.
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