“We were at work when we received a call from our daughter, sobbing on the phone after an encounter on the road near our Auckland suburb home,” said a newly migrated Indian father, recounting a frightening incident involving his young child.
The family, who arrived in New Zealand just four to five months ago, say their school going daughter, who has not yet entered her teenage years, was approached by three “older-looking” boys and had money taken from her jacket pocket in the early hours of Friday, 15 August.
Speaking to The Indian Weekender, the father, who did not wish to be named, said the incident occurred while the child was returning home from a local superette after buying bread.
The parents were both at work at the time.
“She was a bit under the weather, so she did not attend school that day,” the father said.
“I gave her $50 for groceries. Three people approached my daughter and stole $45 right from her jacket pocket.”
The parents believe their daughter may have been watched before she entered the shop, and claim that on her way back, the boys — “not kids, not teens” — confronted her.
According to the parents, the girl ran from the scene as quickly as she could and later told them the boys had used abusive language, including swear words such as “f***” and “b***s***,” during the encounter.
“She is just a young girl who goes to school and knows very little about this place,” the father expressed.
He said the family spoke with their daughter at length to comfort her, being careful not to upset her further. The same day, he reported the matter to police.
“After understanding the matter carefully, I called the police and filed an official complaint. The phone call lasted 45 minutes, where I shared my concerns and all the details with them,” he said.
According to him, police told the family there was not enough evidence at this stage to begin an investigation and advised them to obtain CCTV footage from the superette and upload it via a link provided.
“Isn’t this their job?” the father asked.
He said his daughter is now doing well and continues to receive constant support and guidance from the family.
However, he is still waiting for further contact from police, including a report number and clarity on the next steps.
For the father, one concern remains above all others - the safety of his young daughter in their new home.
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