Police have arrested and charged a 31-year-old Dunedin man for allegedly grooming a young person online.
The man will appear in Dunedin District Court on November 26 on charges relating to various sexual offences, including meeting a young person following sexual grooming.
Police say the arrest came after the man allegedly made contact with a number of victims online, purporting himself to be a 15-year-old boy.
According to police the alleged offender created fictitious online social media profiles to arrange to meet victims he had contacted online.
"This is an important reminder that the internet is a place where people are able to remain anonymous and prey on the vulnerable," Detective Sergeant Regan Boucher said.
"It is vital that parents are aware of who their children are communicating with and have some open and frank conversations about keeping safe, not giving out personal information and not meeting up with strangers."
Parents and caregivers can find useful information about keeping children safe online at www.netsafe.org.nz .
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