KEY POINTS:
A teenage homestay student was kidnapped and robbed by a group of men in what police are describing as a "cowardly" three-hour attack in Auckland.
Detective Sergeant John Love of Mangere CIB said the boy was accosted by three or four men as he got off the 305 bus from Newmarket to Mangere about 8pm on Tuesday.
Mr Love said the group - described as Maori or Pacific Islanders aged 18 to 22 - threatened the boy with a knife before robbing him of his cellphone and cashflow card.
They then bundled him into a vehicle and took him to a house, where they beat him.
They later drove him around Mangere, stopping at least once at a cash machine, where it is believed they demanded money, although it is not clear how much they got.
The group dumped the boy from the vehicle at David Lange Park on Bader Drive.
Detectives are trying to find a woman who came to the boy's aid and took him to his homestay family, who called police about 11pm.
The teenager suffered minor injuries, including a cut lip, but was otherwise okay.
Mr Love said details of the attack were still being gathered because the boy spoke little English. Officers were arranging an interpreter to help them to clarify details.
He said the attack appeared to be random - the boy did not know his attackers. An attack of this type was rare, which led police to think it might have been an opportunistic act.
"We just don't know enough to try to put it together. We don't even know this guy's normal routine yet, anything like that.
"There's not a lot of information at the moment but we're following on with what he has told us."
Mr Love described the attack on a young international student of small stature as a "cowardly act".
* Police would like to hear from anyone who was on the 305 bus, which left Newmarket about 7pm. They would also like to hear from anyone in the Mangere town centre area between 8pm and 11pm, and ask anyone with information on the attack to call Detective Sergeant John Love on (09) 250-0520.
