• Police are investigating two incidents near West Auckland schools involving a suspicious man in a car.
• An 11-year-old girl was approached by the man, who offered her money and spoke in broken English.
• Police are following leads and urging the community to report any suspicious activity immediately.

The father of a terrified 11-year-old girl who was approached by a suspicious man in a car hopes the driver will be caught in case he strikes again.

Police are investigating two incidents close to several West Auckland schools, including one where a man exposed himself to a woman this week.

They are investigating whether the incidents are linked.

The father told the Herald his daughter was walking home after school on Wednesday when a man in a purple car approached her and leaned out of his car window.

“It was only 50m from our house, and he pulled over and started offering her money.”

He said his daughter told him the man spoke to her in broken English and looked to be in his 30s.

“She did go closer because she couldn’t quite understand what he was saying.”

When she realised what was happening, “she bolted”.

The father said his daughter was very brave and acted well under pressure because she was aware of stranger danger.

“She went and locked the house because she was by herself for about 10 minutes at home before I can get home.”

When the father arrived home, “She was crying, you know, so upset”.

“Next time she’s going to run if it does happen, she’ll be running to the kindy which is just past us.”

He said: “She hasn’t told any of her friends. She doesn’t want to even think about it.”

The father hoped police could identify the man’s licence plate through a camera at a nearby dairy that pointed straight at the road.

“Because we know the time, how many purple cars are going to be driving past in that direction at that time?

“Not many, but it wouldn’t be hard to find.”

He feared the man might accost another person.

“He’ll just get braver and braver”.

Police investigating link between incidents

Senior Sergeant Greg Wilson said the first incident occurred on Stottholm Rd near Green Bay High School on Tuesday afternoon.

“A man approached a vehicle and reportedly indecently exposed himself to a woman,” Wilson said.

Police said the second incident was on Wednesday in Titirangi, where a man tried to engage with a young girl from his vehicle on Atkinson Rd at 3.30pm.

“Police are following solid lines of inquiry, and we are keeping an open mind that these events may be linked.”

A mother from Glen Eden Intermediate School shared a message she received from the school about the incident, saying: “Received this email from my daughter’s school and wanted to share for all local parents with young kids in the area.

The message read: “We have been informed by one of our parents that a child was approached by a man in a purple car yesterday afternoon at approximately 3.30pm, walking along Atkinson Rd, near Shining Stars Daycare.

“The child was shaken, but did the right thing by immediately seeking assistance.

“This is a reminder to speak with your children around walking to and from school and only interacting with people they know.”

Green Bay High School families reportedly received a communication that said the school was informed of an incident involving a man.

The message shared with the Herald said: “Green Bay High School has been informed of an incident involving an adult male in our local community who approached a car with suspicious intent in the area around the corner of Dolbear St and Stottholm Rd yesterday after school between 3.15pm - 3.30pm. This matter has been reported to the police.”

Wilson said there were no reports of violence or threats in either incident, which are both being investigated.

Police were taking these events seriously and encouraged the community to report suspicious activity as soon as possible by calling 111.

Both schools have been approached for comment.

The latest incidents come after a boy on his way to school in West Auckland was offered a ride by a woman he didn’t know this month.

This incident, on the morning of May 7, came less than two days after a man allegedly tried to abduct an 8-year-old boy outside South Auckland’s Rowandale School. Two nearby parents intervened to stop the man.