Police are searching for a man who subjected a young woman to a brutal attack in a quarry north of Auckland on Sunday.
The badly injured woman woke up in Riverhead at 2:12am to find a man standing over her with a bat and some of her clothes gone. She had no idea where she was.
The woman fled, managing to grab her clothes and call police. She was found around an hour later at a timber yard in Riverhead.
"This is a very disturbing, nasty attack on a young woman and we are doing everything we can to find the man responsible," Detective Senior Sergeant Kim Libby said.
The unknown attacker had already left the area by the time police arrived.
The woman suffered injuries to her face and head, as well as a broken thumb, and is "extremely traumatised".
"This is appalling and I know the public will share our concern that we need to catch this offender as soon as possible," Snr Sgt Libby says.
A CCTV image has been released of the man last seen speaking to the woman in Ponsonby on Saturday night.
They were seen talking outside the Mobil petrol station on the corner of Ponsonby Rd and K Rd at around 10:20pm.
He was wearing a long-sleeved collared shirt, shorts and black or navy Nike sneakers.
"We need to identify and locate this man as soon as possible," Snr Sgt Libby said.
"There were lots of people out and about and we want to hear from anyone who was in Ponsonby and recognises this man."
Anyone with information is asked to contact police on 021 191 4085, by private-messaging the Waitemata Police Facebook page, or anonymously via Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111.
"We need public assistance - someone will know who this is. It could be a workmate, flatmate or family member," Snr Sgt Libby said.
Police have investigated the quarry where the woman was taken and have "a number of enquiries underway".
Newshub.
