Missing boy found playing video games

A missing 11-year-old West Auckland boy who police thought might be trying to cycle to Palmerston North has been found in South Auckland.

Maara Teritaiti, 11, who has been missing since Sunday, was found playing video games in the Manukau City shopping mall, police said.

Maara, a Rarotongan who lives in Ranui, West Auckland, was spotted late this morning by a member of the public, who called police. The boy was healthy and in good spirits, Constable Andrew Owens of Henderson police said.

"The boy told us that he has been sleeping under the stars in a park since Tuesday, and that he has been given food by other street kids, and eaten at some homes," Mr Owens said.

"Police have returned the boy to his relatives in South Auckland."

Maara went missing from his Ranui home on Sunday. He was known to have ridden his BMX bicycle to a relative's home in Manukau, where he was last seen.

Police had been concerned that he might have tried to cycle to visit some other relatives in Palmerston North, some 500km away.

Mr Owens thanked the public for their help in finding Maara, who has lived in New Zealand for about two years.

- NZPA