'Brazen attacks': Three women assaulted on public walkways in East Coast Bays in past month

Two women were attacked on the walkway from Murrays Bay to Rothesay Bay, pictured, in October, while a third woman was attacked on a walking track in neighbouring Browns Bay on Friday.

North Shore communities are on edge after a string of "brazen attacks" on women walking and jogging on public walkways.

In the most recent case, a woman in her mid-20s was assaulted from behind by a man on Friday at 4.40pm while jogging on a track between Browns Bay Rd and Beechwood Rd in Browns Bay. It's believed she suffered a broken collarbone in the ordeal.

The assault comes weeks after two women were assaulted less than 3km away on the walking track between Murrays Bay and Rothesay Bay. Those incidents happened in the morning of Thursday October 10 and Thursday October 24 and both victims received injuries.

Detective Senior Sergeant Callum McNeill, investigations manager for Waitemata East Area, said police are investigating whether these incidents are linked.

Victoria Short, deputy chair of Hibiscus and Bays Local board, said the East Coast Bays community is concerned about the safety of the walking tracks.

"We are a close tight-knit community and many of our residents have raised their concerns with me, particularly given how brazen the attacks have been and during daylight hours."

Short, who frequently walks on the tracks with her young children, said the area was extremely popular for people exercising and a key link between the coastal communities.

"During summer months everyone uses them, you'd never have to think twice about going on your own."

Short said she didn't know who the victims were, but hoped they were recovering well in private.

"It's difficult for [the victims] and their families, they don't need people commenting about it on social media."

Police advised the community to walk on the tracks in pairs, not alone, and to be aware of their surroundings.

"These incidents all occurred in daylight on popular sections of walking tracks and we believe there are members of the public who would have been in the area at these times and may have seen suspicious activity or a male fitting this description," McNeill said.

A team of detectives would be carrying out a inquiries relating to the assaults and there would be an increased presence in the area, McNeill said.

Police are looking for a man described as Māori, aged in his mid-20s around 178cm tall, and overweight.

He was wearing a baseball cap and a dark short-sleeved top and fled the November 8 incident on foot into Beechwood Rd.

"We ask the public to be vigilant and if you notice any suspicious activity, call 111 immediately," McNeill said

• Anyone with information about these incidents is asked to contact Waitemata Police on 105