Man tries to abduct girl outside school

Rotorua police are hunting a man who tried to abduct a girl outside her school and then stalked her as she tried to get away from him.

Police are warning the public to be careful of a solidly-built Maori man with a tattoo on his cheek driving a dark-coloured four-wheel-drive Isuzu. He is thought to be in his mid-thirties.

Sergeant John Cassidy told NZPA today there had been no further incidents since the man tried to abduct the 12-year-old girl on Monday.

But police feared he could strike again and urged parents to educate their children about not accepting rides from people they didn't know.

The girl was waiting for her father to pick her up when the man approached her and tried to get her into his vehicle outside Rotorua Primary School between 3.15pm and 3.30pm.

The girl's father told the Daily Post a man sitting in a vehicle parked on Rangiruru Street told her to get into his car but she refused and ran off back into the school grounds.

She ran towards Lake Rd, then saw him drive out of the Rotorua Hospital grounds opposite Kuirau Park.

The man parked his car and while the girl hid in bushes on the hill of Rotorua Hospital, he walked along a footpath looking for her.

As he was returning to his car the girl fled towards her home, but he followed her.

The father said by the time he found out what had happened the man had driven off.

He said his daughter was upset. He was angry and alerted police.

Mr Cassidy said the girl had done "all the right things" and inquiries were continuing.

- NZPA