Henderson home invader had transport - police

An intruder who attacked an Auckland woman in her home late at night would have had some form a transport with him, police said today.

The 21-year-old woman, who lives in Henderson, West Auckland, was surprised about 10.10pm on Tuesday by a man described as stocky and aged 20 to 40.

The man, whom the woman did not know, attacked her and took her credit cards, forcing her to reveal the personal identification numbers.

Between 10.30pm on Tuesday and 3am yesterday, attempts were made on three separate occasions to use the cards at the Westpac ATM at the Rathgar Road shops, about 2km from the woman's home.

Detective Sergeant Murray Free said the first attempt was within eight minutes of the man's leaving the house.

"He obviously had some form of transport and he continued to come back to the machine," he said.

The offender, believed to have been a local resident, spent some time at the ATM using several different cards.

Police wanted to hear from anyone who saw the man or his vehicle near the Rathgar Rd shops between 10.20pm and 3.30am.

Mr Free said the woman could not give a more detailed description of the man because it was dark and also because she was afraid to look at him.

He also declined to give details of the nature of the attack or the injuries suffered to protect the victim's privacy, but said what had happened to her was serious.

- NZPA