Police are refusing to confirm whether the hunt for missing 15-year-old LA Tukerangi is being treated as a kidnapping, despite the teen sending a series of panicked messages to her family saying that was the case.
LA urgently messaged her family on Saturday, saying she was being held against her will by 36-year-old career criminal Dean Wayne Whakatau, who has almost 50 prior convictions and has previously been charged with kidnapping and rape.
The alarming messages - which prompted the family to immediately call the police - are the last her family has heard from her.
Detective Senior Sergeant Zane Smith did not answer questions about whether police were treating it as a kidnapping, saying "Our focus is on finding LA Tukerangi safe".
A team of about 10 core investigators were working on the case in Rotorua with additional officers stepping in depending on what information was available, he said.
"Police won't know if she is willingly with Dean Whakatau or not until she is found and spoken to," he said.
A number of panicked Facebook messages written by LA to her 18-year-old sister and mum were released to NZME News Service on Tuesday, in the family's latest emotional plea for her return.
Screenshots of the Facebook messages allegedley from 15yo LA Tukerangi to her sister Lakeysha. Photo / Supplied
The messages - parts of which can not be published for legal reasons - say LA was taken to Rotorua by her boyfriend's older brother, Whakatau.
The first message, sent in all-capitals at 10.58am, said: "Keysha iv been kidnapped call the cops im in Taupo please help me."
Police said they want to speak to Dean Wayne Whakatau. Photo / Supplied via Police
Asked what the message meant, LA replied: "Garrys older brother hea like 30 something he stole me I'm in rotarua ... please help".
She later said she was taken after a fight at her boyfriend's Clendon home, adding: "Quick get help I cant text you when. Hes with me ... please help call them hea back please".
When her sister asked LA for the address, LA replied: "I don't no it bye love you keep safe I'll steal the phone tomorrow in the morning bye sis miss you please get help rotarua :'( asap."
Screenshots of the Facebook messages allegedley from 15yo LA Tukerangi to her sister Lakeysha. Photo / Supplied
She also messaged her mother Marie Tukerangi on Facebook, saying: "Mum, I've been kidnapped. Help me please".
The "heart-breaking" content of the other messages was the reason the family was frantically searching for LA, Marie Tukerangi said.
"From there on in, you just go into silent mode. You become numb.
"We just want her home and safe. We just want her home, we want to know that we're going to see her again."
This morning, police released details of a Toyota Corolla the pair were thought to have been in on Sunday evening in Rotorua.
Police said the car was a 1993 Corolla hatchback, champagne-brown in colour with possible patches of grey primer, with registration number SG1810.
The champagne brown Toyota Corolla that LA Tukerangi and Dean Whakatau were seen in on Sunday evening in Rotorua. Registration number SG1810. Photo / Supplied by Police
The car was also described as possibly having a dent in a door, and one or more grey primer patches on the paintwork.
Mr Smith said it was too early to say whether Whakatau might be facing charges in relation to the incident.
"We have had an overwhelming response from the public reporting possible sightings and this is heartwarming," Mr Smith said.
But despite this response, and extensive coverage on media and social media, neither Whakatau nor LA have made contact. There'd been no confirmed sightings of the pair since Sunday evening.
"Our focus remains on finding LA safe and returning her to her family and we ask that the public continue to be vigilant on our behalf," police added.
In April this year, Whakatau was sentenced to 18 months' imprisonment for two counts of burglary in September. He was released in June.
It is not known whether he served jail time before the sentencing.
He has been convicted nearly 50 times for dishonesty offending and described by police as someone who "takes advantage of good-natured and trusting people".
In 2005 he went on the run after escaping a Rotorua police station cell where he was being held accused of rape and kidnapping.
A warrant is out for Whakatau's arrest for breach of release conditions and the public is warned not to approach him.
• If anyone sees LA and Whakatau they are asked to contact police immediately on 111. The public are asked not to try to approach them as this may cause them to flee.
• Anyone with any information that doesn't require an immediate response is asked to contact Rotorua Police on 07 348 0099, or anonymously contact Crimestoppers on 0800 555111.
• Whakatau is described as 1.7m tall, of solid build and missing two front teeth.
• Police are urging Whakatau to drop LA outside a police station or in a public place, and for anyone who sees the pair to call police.
