Net 'stranger' took girl, say police

BE ALERT: Police are reinforcing warnings to parents to monitor their children's internet activity after the arrest of an 18-year-old man who allegedly indecently assaulted a 12-year-old girl after talking to her for six months on an internet chat site. PHOTO/FILE

An 18-year-old Rotorua man who had allegedly been chatting to a 12-year-old girl online, was caught after taking her from her Carterton home in his car, police say.

Senior Sergeant Jymahl Glassey said the man and the girl met on the internet chat-room site, Omegle, which paired people at random.

The site is designed for strangers to meet online, advertising "we pick someone else at random and let you have a one-on-one chat".

The site uses the tag line "Talk to strangers!"

It is alleged the pair had been chatting online, arranging to meet on Anzac Day, which was when the girl went missing from her home.

The family alerted police after the girl was seen getting into an unknown car. Police found the pair within an hour of being notified, Mr Glassey said.

Kayne Storm McIntyre appeared in the Masterton District Court on Saturday facing one charge each of communicating with the girl and arranging to meet to commit a crime on her and indecently assaulting her. He has been remanded on bail to reappear on May 5, when he is due to plead to the charges.

Meanwhile, Mr Glassey said the internet had become hard to manage for police, and parents and children needed to be educated about safety.

"Parents need to be aware of the reach that the internet has - it's not just a place for Facebook, Trade Me and eBay, it has unrestricted access."

The advent of portable devices such as iPhones and iPads meant parents struggled to monitor internet use, he said.

The girl's parents were not to blame and a broader discussion about internet safety was needed: "In today's world it can happen to any kid with access to the internet. The topic needs to be raised with kids."