A prolonged sexual assault on a 65-year-old woman has left residents of a Porirua suburb feeling unsafe.
Police are going door-to-door in Waitangirua talking to neighbours about whether they saw suspicious activity on Waihemo St on Friday morning, when a man talked his way into the woman's home.
(Alex Baird / Newshub.)
He's believed to be of either Pacific Island descent or Maori, around 35-45 and clean-shaven, and wearing blue jeans, a white T-shirt, grey hooded sweatshirt, brown jacket and brown shoes.
Police say the man knocked on the woman's door claiming to have been looking for his daughter, shortly before 6am. Once inside the house, he subjected her to an hours-long sexual assault.
(Alex Baird / Newshub.)
He tried a similar attack at another property in the area.
Inspector Paul Basham says the victim has serious mental and emotional trauma, as well as physical injuries.
"This is a nasty, brutal assault on a vulnerable woman living alone in our community, and I can reassure the public we're absolutely determined in our resolve to identify, locate and put this guy before the courts."
He praised the woman for her bravery in helping their inquiry. She is now receiving support from police and other agencies.
Residents spoken to by Newshub say they don't feel safe in the neighbourhood anymore.
(Alex Baird / Newshub.)
One neighbour, Kaokao Makai-Lautafi said she was still trying to understand what had happened.
"I still can't get over the fact that it's happened. She was one of our neighbours. We didn't hear anything.
"I'm quite angry with myself I wasn't there to protect her because we normally bump into each other early in the morning or late at night because we're both support workers," she said.
Ms Makai-Lautafi said she used to go for walks around the block, but she didn't feel safe enough to do that since the attack.
She described the woman as a "loving, caring person".
"I'm just really gutted because it could've been my mum or my grandma."
Insp Basham says these attacks are "thankfully" rare, but people should be keeping security in mind.
"We do want people to apply common sense in terms of their own personal security -- people should always lock their doors and windows at night anyway."
Police are appealing for any suspicious sightings on the street on Friday morning.
"There's bound to be movement at that time: people walking the dog, delivering newspapers, whatever it might be, courier drivers, if you're heading off to work."
Anyone with information should call Porirua police on (04) 238 1400 or anonymously via Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111.
Newshub.
