Police say the boy got off a train at Ranui Station and started walking to his home when he was abducted by a man in a grey van.
Parents, teachers and children are being asked to remain vigilant after police alerted an Auckland community to a man with a facial dragon tattoo attempting to drag a boy into his car.
One Beach Haven Primary School parent told the Herald she'd been informed of Wednesday morning's Beach Haven, North Shore, incident where a 14-year-old boy walking to school was approached by the suspicious man.
In an email to parents at the time, Northcote Intermediate School deputy principal Karen Russell said the man approached the student near Northcote Countdown, just metres from the school.
A similar incident was also reported in February, but police found nothing suspicious after speaking to the driver.
And a recent letter from police has also been forwarded to parents by the principal of Mangere Bridge School, giving safety advice for students on what to do when approached by strangers.
Detective Senior Sergeant James Bothamley, of North Shore police, said Wednesday's scenario saw a teenage boy walking along Lancaster Rd about 8am.
The boy described to police being approached by a man aged in his 60s, with a distinctive tattoo on his face, and being grabbed by the man and put into his car.
The boy managed to fight the man off and run away, but is also thought to have suffered several seizures during the incident.
The boy said the tattoo was a dragon with the beast's mouth over the man's mouth and the body of the dragon drawn from the man's left ear across his check.
Police investigations into the incident are continuing today, and the boy is due to be interviewed by a specialist child interviewer in the coming days.
Birkenhead College principal Craig Waller said he was "very concerned" about Wednesday's incident and had been in regular contact with police. He declined to say if the student targeted was a pupil of his, however, the Herald understands the boy does attend the college.
A statement has been issued to parents, he said, while he'd also been in contact with the principals of the other schools in the area.
Beach Haven Primary School principal Stephanie Thompson said "there seems to be more incidents of late". Photo / Brett Phibbs
Beach Haven Primary School principal Stephanie Thompson said the incident was another reminder for parents and whanau to be vigilant when sending their children to school.
"It's also important for parents to have up-to-date contact details, it makes things difficult if we can't get hold of parents if we need to."
She said "there seems to be more incidents of late" and prior to Wednesday, classroom conversations were held with community Constable Steve Harwood about student safety.
She had informed parents of Wednesday's incident with a newsletter and post on the school's app and Facebook page, but warned of falsehoods and unofficial information circulating on social media.
"I guess there's a danger of misinformation in the social-media age," she said.
In her newsletter to parents yesterday the school said it was "working closely with local police ... to ensure our students' safety".
"It is of the utmost importance that your children are aware of their end-of-day plans every day when they leave you in the morning. Whilst we understand that circumstances can change during the day on occasion, we have many children who are unsure where to go at the end of the day, thinking they will be collected and aren't, hanging around school and walking home later than the others. It is these miscommunications which add to the vulnerability of students," it read.
"It is also essential to notify the school if your child is not coming to school in the morning ... it has never been more important that you as caregivers and parents are contactable by the school at any time, while they are here with us."
Birkdale Intermediate School principal Richard Coote said there had been "conflicting reports" about Wednesday's incident from parents and on social media.
He had also not spoken to police about the incident, he said.
"I'm sure if there was a danger to the kids [police] would have told us," he said.
However, he reminded his students during the regular Friday school assembly about student safety when travelling to and from school.
A newsletter was sent to parents, he said, and it was a "good opportunity" to remind everyone of the possible dangers.
Birkdale North School principal Linda Low said she was also waiting for police to officially alert her about the incident if required.
"I love these children like they're my own. I'm concerned like any parent would be and I hope anyone in this community would be concerned," she added.
Detective Senior Sergeant James Bothamley of North Shore Police said officers take any report of attempted child abductions extremely seriously.
There had been an increase in reports of such incidents over the past few months, he said.
"We are unable to pinpoint the exact cause of this, however historically we have experienced increased reports of this type after increased publicity.
"Parents and teachers are having conversations with children about getting to school safely, and we do encourage anyone who sees suspicious behaviour to report this to police, which in turn can lead to increased reporting."
However, abductions by strangers were rare, he said.
"We wish to remind people though that child abductions are rare and sadly the statistics show that our children are more likely to be harmed by someone known to them, in their own home," he said.
Police had yet to identify the dragon tattooed suspect described by the boy, he said, encouraging anyone with information about the man to come forward.
The boy was walking home from school just before 4pm on November 17 when he was approached by a man in a grey van who asked for directions. He was dragged into the vehicle and endured a prolonged sexual assault before the abductor dropped him off in Ranui around four hours later.
