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Police Following Positive Leads

Friday 16 January 2009, 7:08PM

By New Zealand Police

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TUATAPERE

Police are continuing to follow positive leads in the search for the man who attacked two Dutch tourists in the small western Southland town of Tuatapere early yesterday morning.

"We have a number of positive lines of inquiry which we are continuing to follow up on this afternoon. We've had an extremely good response from the public and are very grateful for the assistance they've given us with this case," said Detective Sergeant David Nelson of Invercargill Police.

"There is little more new we can say at the moment except that we have established some good leads," he said.

Police have located a filleting knife close to the scene which may be related to the incident. If any one has information about where the knife originated from we would like to know about it," said Detective Sergeant David Nelson of Invercargill Police.

Police have also confirmed that the female victim has been raped and have released a broad description of the attacker.

"Although it has been difficult to describe the offender because his face was covered, we are able to say that he has a 'square-shaped head' and is believed to be olive-skinned Caucasian or light-skinned Polynesian or Maori."

Police are still in the area today speaking to locals.

The tourists, a 22-year-old female and 25-year-old male, were attacked early yesterday at 6.40am (Thursday 15 January) in a Tuatapere camping ground. A male offender entered the vehicle the two tourists were sleeping in, threatening the occupants with a knife and raping the 22-year-old female.

People with any information should contact their local police station or Detective Dave Nelson at Invercargill Police on (03) 211-0400.