KEY POINTS:
Two Tauranga police officers have rescued a "traumatised" 16-year-old girl from what they say was a sexual attack after checking a suspicious-looking car parked behind a shopping centre.
The officers were carrying out routine patrols in the Fraser Cove area when they discovered the alleged crime yesterday.
Detective Sergeant Darryl Brazier of Greerton police told the Bay of Plenty Times the two officers saw a car parked at the Fraser Cove shopping centre carpark shortly before 6am and decided to investigate.
"Police believe that the sexual violation was in progress when they arrived," he said.
"Had they not arrived, the consequences, we believe, would have been far more serious. There's no doubt in my mind.
"They came across this vehicle which was in an isolated area ... and clearly out of place so they spoke to the driver. They realised there was a young girl in the car, and quite traumatised ... she was very distressed.
"They separated them immediately and, as it turns out they prevented, I believe, this crime getting worse than it was, so really it was Johnny-on-the-spot."
Mr Brazier said police believe the man had befriended the girl only three days earlier. "They had been together with others for some time prior to this crime."
Mr Brazier said the officers, a man and a woman, had carried out some "good street-wise policing".
"They did a very good job and she should be extremely thankful - and she is.
"This sort of thing happens occasionally, where the police just happen to be in the right place at the right time. They realised fairly quickly that something wasn't right so they took appropriate action."
The man's vehicle was seized and taken to Tauranga police station where it was to be examined, Mr Brazier said.
The girl spent most of yesterday making statements with police.
Mr Brazier would not provide details of what police believe occurred inside the car.
The alleged sexual violation highlighted a wider issue that police regularly dealt with when younger girls became close to older men, Mr Brazier said.
"It's becoming a lot more common where young girls place their faith in older men ... they should be very careful about who they associate with.
"The message is don't go off with people you don't know. If you do go off with someone you don't know, make sure you have someone else with you for your own safety."
Mr Brazier said the girl's family was upset by the incident.
"As far as the family were concerned, she was out with friends she knew and it was unfortunate that she got into a position that she was alone with this person. The family were very distressed about it, and supportive."
* A 44-year-old Judea man was to appear in Tauranga District Court today on a charge of sexual violation.
- BAY OF PLENTY TIMES
