Father chases off man in girls' room

A father chased off an intruder who had entered the bedroom of three young, sleeping girls in the Hastings suburb of Flaxmere early on Sunday morning.

The three girls, all under 12, were sleeping in their Montrose Place bedroom, when the man entered the room about 4am.

The man entered the girls' room and indecently assaulted one of them, police said.

The father of one of the girls woke and chased the man from the house. The intruder left through the front window by which he entered the house.

The girls were "shaken" and the father "very angry," Detective Brendan Campbell told Hawke's Bay Today.

Police had today still made no arrests and were calling on community to help catch the man.

The offender was described as having brown skin, medium build, and was wearing a dark hoodie, jeans and white shoes.

Mr Campbell said a particular concern was the potential for more attacks unless the intruder was not caught.

Hastings District Council Flaxmere ward councillor Henare O'Keefe said he hated the thought of people turning their homes into fortresses. He appealed for public help in catching the intruder.

"By nature, I think we New Zealanders are very trusting and very open, and I hope that never changes."

- NZPA