Sleeping woman sexually assaulted

File photo / Martin Sykes

A Mount Maunganui woman was sexually assaulted as she slept in a crime eerily similar to another near her home five years ago.

The woman and her partner were asleep at their Maunganui Rd home on Saturday morning when they woke to find a man inside their room about 4am.

The woman woke to find the man sexually assaulting her, before the intruder was confronted and ran away.

Her boyfriend spoke to the Bay of Plenty Times on behalf of his partner, who was still upset yesterday.

"This is really hard on her," the boyfriend said.

"She's quite shaken and embarrassed."

Police confirmed the man assaulted the woman at a home in the area of Mount Maunganui Library. When she woke and confronted the man, she woke her boyfriend sleeping next to her.

"I could hear the fear in her voice so I jumped up and then saw him. He said 'I'm just looking for my mate' and started stumbling out the door."

The boyfriend dressed and ran after the man but he disappeared.

In November 2006 in nearby Terrace Ave a young woman was indecently assaulted in her bed by a hooded intruder at 4.20am. She was sleeping next to her partner who woke and chased the man but was unable to catch him. He was never found.

During the latest invasion, the man had also rummaged through the house and stole items despite a flatmate asleep in the lounge.

"We are furious. We are looking for him. We want to catch the sleazy bastard," the boyfriend said.

He and his flatmate had since warned neighbours to be wary.

The flatmate also said he was worried.

He was asleep on the couch when his wallet, keys and phone were stolen from the coffee table, which was within arm's reach from where he lay.

Mount Maunganui police Detective Sergeant Darryl Brazier said police wanted to find the man before there was another similar incident.

Mr Brazier said police were investigating possible links to a series of similar incidents in recent years, including the 2006 Terrace Ave assault.

Mr Brazier appealed to anyone who might have noticed suspicious activity that night to contact police at Mount Maunganui police station or anonymously on 0800 SPEAK UP.