Woman forced into car by man at Newmarket bus stop, driven off

The car - with registration HNQ156 - then drove away towards Manukau Rd. It is not known where it went from there. Photo / via Police

A woman was forced into a car before it drove off, during an incident in Auckland this week.

Several members of the public witnessed a man forcing the woman into a silver Ford Falcon, at around 7.10am on Tuesday.

It happened at a bus stop on Broadway, in Newmarket, near the intersection of Broadway and Manukau Rd, police said.

The car - with registration HNQ156 - then drove away towards Manukau Rd. It is not known where it went from there.

The silver car was described as having a distinctive black boot, which may help people to recognise it, police said. It also had a black fuel cover and black alloy wheels with a silver rim.

The man and woman are believed to know each other, police said.

However, Detective Senior Sergeant Glenn Baldwin, of Auckland city police, said he had concerns for the woman's safety and would like to speak to her.

Police received several phone calls from concerned members of the public when the incident occurred, he said. Police responded quickly, but were not able to locate the car, Baldwin said.

However, a witness managed to take a photo of the car before it drove away.

An investigation is now underway, and police have made a "significant number of inquiries". However, they have yet to identify the woman or locate the vehicle and are asking for help from the public.

"The circumstances of this matter are somewhat alarming and we need to locate and speak with the woman and ensure she is safe," Baldwin said.

"We would like to hear from anyone who knows of the whereabouts of the woman or the car."

The woman is described as being of medium build with an athletic physique and approximately 165cm tall.

She is of Maori or Pacific Island descent with long brown/black hair which was tied back in a ponytail. She was wearing a turquoise sweater and is estimated to be in her 20-30s.

The man was described as approximately 183cm tall, of heavy/solid build and of Maori or Pacific Island descent with short dark hair.

He is estimated to be aged in his 30-40s and has a distinctive tattoo on the left side of his neck.

He was wearing a light top and dark coloured pants.

Anyone with information is asked to contact the Auckland City Crime Squad on 09 3026 557 or anonymously contact Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111