Police follow attack leads

Labour MP Shane Jones condemned the robbery and assault of three Chinese tourists holidaying in the Far North. Photo / Richard Robinson

Police investigating the robbery and assault of three Chinese tourists in the Far North are speaking to local men following calls from the public.

They have made no arrests and are still appealing for information about Friday's attack on a remote stretch of gravel road leading to Ninety Mile Beach.

"We have had a lot of messages from upset people about how this reflects on us as a nation and it's nice to get a depth of feeling about the incident but we're really calling on information," Detective Sergeant Trevor Beatson of the Kaitaia police said.

"Obviously [the robbers] have partners and family that they talk to and someone would have seen them with the property. We want those people to come forward."

One of the victims, a 27-year-old Chinese man based in Auckland, had taken two visiting women students, aged 45 and 36, up to Ninety Mile Beach for the day.

They stopped their car to help two men in a maroon-coloured stationwagon who claimed they were lost.

The pair then hit the man and one of the women in the face, threatened them with knives and stole two handbags containing cellphones, cameras and money.

Police yesterday completed a search at the beach and combed the victim's car for evidence.

"We have identified some people of interest who we have been speaking with," Mr Beatson said.

"The victims want this settled, they want to see the guys held accountable before they leave the country," he said.

Labour MP Shane Jones, who holidayed in the area as a child, said he was "utterly offended by what's happened".

"For them to do this in broad daylight, who knows what they'll do at night.

"Thousands of families from all over the world visit every year and take the happiest of memories away ... it is frightening for young families and people with elderly members in their families who visit to know what's happened."

The two men were described as Maori in their 20s, tall with strong physical builds. Their stationwagon had fishing rods sticking out the windows.