Police investigating two recent early morning attacks on women on Richmond Rd, Grey Lynn, are concerned the attacker may have tried to strike again last night.
At 7pm a 16 year-old girl was walking alone on Chamberlain St – just off Richmond Rd – when she noticed a car passing slowly, which then stopped. A man got out, walked past her, then turned and ran towards her. She ran off and reached a relative’s house in Rose Rd before he could catch her.
Detective Sergeant Lloyd Schmid of Auckland City CIB said the incident is of great concern, particularly because publicity about yesterday morning’s attack on a 29 year-old woman on Richmond Rd and another on April 29, has uncovered reports of two other attacks in the same vicinity since early April.
In all there have been five similar attacks or attempts to attack in the area in the past eight weeks.
• March 28, 2004, 6.45am – Williamson Ave, near Schofield St – a woman was chased, punched in the head and kicked in the back when knocked to the footpath
• April 10, 2004, 3pm - Hukanui Reserve, a park area and boardwalk that runs alongside Cox’s Creek behind Woolworths and which ends at Richmond Rd. A woman who had walked her dog through Cox’s Bay Reserve into the Hukanui Reserve en-route to Richmond Rd was followed by a male Polynesian who punched her in the head leaving her with bruising and loose teeth.
• April 29, 2004, 5.50am – Richmond Rd, near Brown St – A woman was knocked unconscious by a Maori or Polynesian male when walking up Richmond Rd, towards Ponsonby Rd
• May 20, 2004, 6.40 to 6.50 am – Richmond Rd, near Parawai Cres – A woman was knocked unconscious by an unidentified male when running towards Woolworth’s supermarket
• May 20, 2004, 7pm – Chamberlain St and Rose Rd – a young woman was chased by a Polynesian or Maori man. She managed to outrun him.
"We’d like to hear from anyone who has ideas about who the attacker might be, information about other attacks that may not have been reported to Police or details around any of the incidents we now know about," Mr Schmid said
"We’re obviously concerned about the nature of the assaults and the fact there are some clear similarities between them. I encourage women in the area to report any suspicious activity, to be aware these events have occurred and to take any safety precautions they feel appropriate."
ENDS
Issued by Noreen Hegarty
Auckland City Police Communications Manager
Ph 09 302 6947 or 0274-951-589
Website: www.police.govt.nz