Police say the pack rape of a teenage girl in Morrinsville should serve as a warning that women should never walk home alone in the early hours.
The 16-year-old was raped by three men early on Saturday, only 300m from her home.
Detective Craig Gordon of Morrinsville CIBsaid the victim had been drinking alcohol with some friends at a house nearby.
She had walked about 300m from the house before the men, in a dark-coloured stationwagon, stopped her and forced her into their car.
They parked on the side of the road, raped her and left her there.
She walked home and alerted her family, who called police.
Mr Gordon said the victim was unsure how long she had been in the car but police got the call about 5am on Saturday.
"She is deeply traumatised, as you can imagine she would be," Mr Gordon said.
He warned that women should not walk alone late at night or early in the morning, to keep safe.
"Always have somebody with you when you're walking. Otherwise get somebody to pick you up and take you where you need to go. But we don't want to be seen to be criticising [the victim's] actions, that's not what she needs from us."
Page St, where the attack happened, was relatively quiet, Mr Gordon said. Police had spoken to neighbours but they had not seen or heard anything.
The incident did not appear to be linked to a serial rapist being hunted by police in Hamilton, about 34km northeast of Morrinsville, Mr Gordon said.
The Morrinsville offenders are described as European, aged in their mid-20s, of fat build. One had a beard and moustache.
* Anyone with information should phone police on (07) 889 5071.
