Police have increased patrols in a lower North Island town following four separate reports of children being followed to or from school by a man.
A man, believed to be in his 40s, has approached children aged seven to 15 years in central Waikanae and Waikanae Beach since January 19.
The most recent was on Friday and involved a seven-year-old boy.
Children were being approached on weekdays about 8.30am or 3.30pm, with some reporting the man getting out of his car and others saying he followed them in his vehicle.
Kapiti Coast sergeant Jackie Muir told NZ Newswire police had stepped up the number of patrols in the area and were warning parents to keep on the look out.
"We are very concerned because this would very rarely happen in this area," she says.
"If your child comes home and tells you something has happened we ask that you phone police immediately on 111 and also make sure that your children are aware of stranger danger."
In some of the reported incidents parents had taken days to contact police, which made investigations more difficult, Sgt Muir says.
The man is described as a tall, thin, Caucasian, with dark curly hair who wears round glasses. He was seen in a white four-door sedan.
NZN