Police investigate abduction attempt

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There is no indication that a gang of men are targeting women in Hamilton after a young woman managed to escape an abduction attempt over the weekend, police say.

The 19-year-old woman was waiting for a ride home from her job as a dishwasher at a Hamilton restaurant when a man tried to force her into his car near the intersection of State Highway 1 and Morrinsville Rd about 10.30pm on Saturday.

Three men in a car whistled and shouted at the woman before the driver tried to drag her into his car. She managed to fight him off, scratching his eyes, causing him to scream and drive off in the direction of Cambridge.

It was not yet known if the woman was known to the men or if it was a random attack, Detective Sergeant Nick O'Brien said.

"It's too early to say, to be honest," he said.

"In a normal investigation like this we would look at things that have been reported to us historically to see if there's any pattern or similarities. But we're still in the early stages of this, we haven't identified anything else at this stage."

Mr O'Brien said there was "nothing to indicate" a gang or group of men specifically targeting young women for abduction in the Hamilton area, but said: "I guess it's just a reminder to be mindful of your personal safety, at all times."

Police were working to identify and track down the men in the car, and had "a number of avenues to try and do that".

"We'll just work our way through that over the next few days," Mr O'Brien said.

Police were also checking if there was CCTV footage available from the scene, he said.

Management at the restaurant where the teenager works did not want to talk about the abduction attempt, and said the young woman also did not want to talk about what happened.

Yesterday, a manager said the scared teenager did not want to return to her job.

The attacker was described as a dark-skinned man aged in his mid-to-late 20s with an Indian accent. He was wearing a blue short-sleeved shirt, shorts, sunglasses and his hair -- black with blond tips -- was tied up.

His car was described as a late model dark or black sedan with tinted rear windows.

Anyone with any information, or who may be able to identify the attacker, is asked to contact Detective Sergeant Nick O'Brien on 07 858 6200 or anonymously contact Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111.