Police want North Otago parents to be vigilant about getting their children home safely from school after an 8-year-old was approached by a stranger on Thursday.
Sergeant Tony Woodbridge, of Oamaru, said police did not want people to panic over the incident, which could be entirely innocent, but they wanted to investigate it and keep the community informed.
He said the child was approached at 3.20pm in Oamaru’s Reed and Exe St area by a Caucasian man with olive skin, believed to be in his 30s, who was balding on top. He allegedly asked the child if they wanted a ride.
"We don’t know if it’s sinister, but we are letting schools know so they can be wary."
The man was believed to be driving a light-grey car similar to a 1990s Bluebird sedan.
The child’s mother turned up about the same time as the man.
