Police are warning the public after a man approached female students in the Merivale and St Albans areas on 4 August.

The man has not yet been identified and enquiries are ongoing.

Police have sent a letter alerting 10 schools in the immediate area of the offending.

Detective Constable Andrea McDowell said, “We work with schools and the community and encourage families to have discussions around behaviours and actions that are inappropriate or that make a child feel uncomfortable, rather than concentrating on the types of people that could harm them.”

Police said “the person of interest is believed to be an older caucasian man.”

Do you know more? Email [email protected] 

Anyone with information about the man in question should make a report by calling 105, or online at www.police.govt.nz/use-105. Please use file number 250804/3588.

Police advice for parents and caregivers of students includes:

• Teach your child how to get safely to and from school and other places they go, whether they walk, bike or go by bus.

• Who does your child walk home with? Meet the parents of children in your area and keep in touch.

• Teach the children to walk home together in twos or small groups, not alone.

• Make other arrangements if someone is away.

• Anyone who has an immediate concern for their safety should not hesitate to call 111.

• Police actively encourage students to report anything that makes them feel unsafe or uncomfortable. This can be to a trusted adult, a teacher or the Police.