School students warned of 'stranger danger'

File photo / Martin Sykes

Police in west Auckland are warning school students to be wary of men trying to them into cars.

There were two such incidents in Kelson two weeks ago. In the first, an 11-year-old schoolboy in uniform was approached by a man and encouraged to get into a light coloured car being driven by another man.

The boy ran off and reported the matter to his principal.

In the second incident a student from the same school, also in uniform, was walking home when he was pulled towards a waiting vehicle by a man. The boy ran off and reported the incident to his caregivers.

That vehicle was also light-coloured and was a four-door car or a small people mover. The man had tattoos on his face.

Detective Sergeant Eugene Pickett of the Waitakere CIB said it was timely to remind school children of safe practices when travelling between school and home, whether they were alone or with friends.

"Children should be warned against playing in isolated areas. They should also be alert to the danger of approaches, offers of rides or questioning by people they don't know or trust," he said.

- NZPA