KEY POINTS:
Relatives of a five-year-old girl abducted on Auckland's North Shore yesterday have pleaded with her captor to return her to her family safely.
Xin Xin Ma was riding her bike on the footpath of Corricvale Way, Albany, at 12.30pm yesterday when the sole occupant of a silver car grabbed her, put her in the vehicle and sped away.
At a packed media conference this afternoon, Xin Xin's aunt, Hong Zhou, said her family was "heart broken" Xin Xin - sometimes referred to by police as Cina - had been taken from them.
She said the family saw New Zealand as a "paradise" and wanted Xin Xin to be happy here.
"This is a happy little girl that we do not want to be damaged with such a young heart," she said.
"Xin Xin is only five years old, she will not understand what is going on. She will be very frightened and she will want to be with her family.
"We just want Xin Xin - our little girl - to come home to us... safely."
Xin Xin's mother, Jin Zhou, was also present at the conference, wiping tears from her eyes as the statement was delivered.
Journalists asked questions as the pair left, including whether the family had been threatened or asked for money, but no questions were answered.
At an earlier media conference, the officer heading the inquiry, Detective Inspector Steve Wood, also refused to answer journalists' questions.
However, he said parents should not be concerned about further attacks as the kidnapping was "premeditated and the person had a knowledge of the area".
He added: "There is nothing to suggest it was a random act or that it will happen again."
Mr Wood said the girl needed to be home with her mother and father and this was the police's "number one priority".
Last night it emerged that Xin Xin was heard screaming in Chinese, "Let me go. I don't know you" as she was abducted from outside her home.
But only her cousin, aged 8, understood the words.
The grandparents of Xin Xin believe that if she had screamed for help in English, neighbours might have been able to save her.
Last night, they feared ransom may not have been the reason she was taken from outside her home in the wealthy Albany subdivision of Harrowglen.
"Why kidnap my granddaughter. Is it for the money?" Mr Zhou asked.
"Then why have we not heard anything about a ransom? We are getting very worried."
She was playing with her 8-year-old cousin Max when the masked man approached about 12.30pm.
Xin Xin, who was on a school holiday from the nearby private Kristin School, was being looked after by a nanny who was inside the house at the time with her 3-year-old sister.
Xin Xin and Max's grandparents, Ping and Qi When Zhou, aged 70 and 73 respectively, spoke to the Herald in their native language, Mandarin, outside their home last night.
Mrs Zhou said she did not see what had happened to her granddaughter but was told by neighbours in the subdivision, which has a large Asian population, how Xin Xin reacted.
"Xin Xin screamed so loudly, 'Let me go, I don't know you' that half the neighbourhood heard. But I think no one knew what she was saying because she was yelling in Mandarin."
She said Xin Xin must have put up quite a struggle, as she kicked both her shoes off. Police last night took the shoes as evidence.
Xin Xin's parents are estranged and only the mother lives at the house, but both parents were being interviewed at the police station last night with Max and his mother. The house is on the market.
Mrs Zhou said Xin Xin's father - her son-in-law - dropped her off at the house on Sunday night after spending the day with her.
Both parents are believed to work in the building industry and built houses in the new subdivision.
Neighbours last night described the little girl as beautiful and friendly, and feared for their own children's safety.
Angie Stevens said Xin Xin was always smiling.
"She's a beautiful, friendly little girl, the kids were always playing on the street. She didn't even know us and we said, 'Come have a look at our dog' and she came over to play.
"She's a very gorgeous little girl."
Mrs Stevens said Xin Xin and Max spent a lot of time between her and their grandparents' houses.
Michele Danneels, who lives opposite the Ma home, said her children Maxwell, 9, and Mia, 4, often played with Xin Xin.
"They were a very nice, close-knit family."
She had lived in the area for about a year, and had never seen any shady activity in the area before.
"That's part of the reason we came here. We've always felt really safe."
Another neighbour, Kam Mudaliar, said he was shocked a crime so serious had been committed in the area.
"We have children playing in the streets, and old people walking around at night, because we think this is a very safe area."
Police cordoned off part of the street last night while officers went door to door speaking to neighbours.
Airport staff have been given a photo of Xin Xin and were asked to watch out for her.
Full statement from family:
Ni hao ...My name is Hong ZHOU..I am the aunty of Xin Xin.
I make this statement on behalf of all the family.
This is a happy little girl that we do not want to be damaged with such a young heart.
We just want Xin Xin to be happy living here in New Zealand.
We think New Zealand is a paradise and we want the community to help our child to come back safely.
The family is heart broken that Xin Xin has been taken from us.
We plead with anyone who is watching OR listening to this, and who knows where Xin Xin is.....to tell the New Zealand Police.
She is our loved daughter and niece and we want her home safely.
* Anyone with information is asked to contact the North Shore CIB on (09) 477-5000 or text (027) 27-27-669.
