A 54-year-old Hokitika man has been arrested and charged following a police operation targeting online offending against young people.

The man was arrested in Greymouth today after an investigation in which he had allegedly been communicating online with a person he believed to be 13 years old.

Police allege that during these interactions, the man engaged in behaviour consistent with grooming and subsequently travelled with the intention of meeting the young person.

He is due to appear in Greymouth District Court tomorrow, charged with exposing a young person to indecent material, grooming a young person for sexual conduct, and meeting a young person following sexual grooming.

Police have opposed bail.

West Coast Area Investigations Manager, Detective Senior Sergeant Brent Lyford, said the operation was designed to protect children.

“This operation was carried out to disrupt and prevent harm to children. Police have zero tolerance for this type of offending, and we remain committed to identifying and holding offenders to account,” he said.

“We urge parents, caregivers, and young people, to remain vigilant online and tread carefully when engaging with people that you do not personally know,” he said.

Any suspicious or inappropriate behaviour, online or otherwise, should be reported immediately through 111 if there is immediate danger. All non-urgent information can be reported through 105, either online or over the phone.

Information can also be reported anonymously through Crime Stoppers on 0800 555 111.