A Tauranga mother says she and her 10-year-old son were left shaken after a woman allegedly got into their vehicle during a police incident last Tuesday.

She’s also frustrated it took several days before support services and investigators followed up with them.

The woman, who asked not to be named for privacy reasons, said the incident unfolded on State Highway 29A near Maungatapu as she and her son were driving home from an outing.

Speaking to NZME, the woman said she was driving with her son when they encountered multiple police vehicles and motorists stopped on the roadside near the Maungatapu Bridge.

She slowed to navigate the area and began accelerating again when a woman ran from nearby properties and into the path of her vehicle.

“I had to stop because otherwise I was going to run her over,” she said.

She alleged the woman then opened a rear door and got into the vehicle.

“My son looked at me and said, ‘Is she in our car?’ and I said, ‘Yeah, she’s in our car’.”

She said a frightening struggle followed as she attempted to maintain control of the vehicle.

The woman alleged the passenger interfered with the steering wheel and prevented her son from calling police by grabbing a cellphone from his hands.

“It was terrifying,” she said. “I was fighting with her for control of the vehicle.”

The driver said she noticed a police vehicle near the Maungatapu roundabout and decided to head towards it for help.

She alleged the passenger objected and attempted to steer the vehicle away from police.

The woman said she eventually drove to where officers were stationed, stopping near the roundabout and turning off the engine.

The passenger then got out and ran off, she said.

She immediately provided a statement to an officer at the scene and expected to be contacted in the following days.

The woman was driving with her son when they encountered multiple police vehicles and motorists stopped on the roadside near the Maungatapu Bridge. Photo / John Borren

However, she said she heard nothing further.

Believing support services would call, she waited until later that week before contacting police through 105.

The woman said she called again the following day after receiving no information.

“It was only because someone followed it up that it got picked up,” she said.

She said her main concern was not for herself but for her son.

“I’m pretty tough and I can tell people I’m fine, but he’s 10 years old and there was no follow-up for him for support.”

The woman said Victim Support eventually contacted her last Friday and a police officer visited her home to take a formal statement.

She described the subsequent support as positive.

“Once the ball was rolling, it was great,” she said. “But that should have happened on Wednesday.”

The woman’s son had received support through his school and was expected to continue speaking with support staff.

While she said she remained “angry” about the incident and the initial lack of follow-up, her primary motivation for speaking publicly was to raise awareness.

“I just want people to know that it happened. You don’t really hear about [these things happening] in Tauranga,” she said.

“I want people to be careful, know how to lock their doors in their car, and not just rely on instinct.”

The woman’s concerns were put to police for response.

Police said a woman had been arrested after an alleged burglary in Pāpāmoa that night and a subsequent attempt to evade police.

Inspector Ewan Dunsmuir said police received reports of an alleged burglary about 7.50pm on November 3.

The alleged offenders fled the scene in a vehicle and did not stop when approached by police.

Road spikes were deployed and after the vehicle stopped, the alleged offenders fled on foot.

One of the alleged offenders then attempted to escape in another vehicle before being taken into custody.

A 39-year-old Matamata woman has been remanded on bail and is due to reappear in Tauranga District Court on November 26 on charges of failing to stop and dangerous driving.

Police indicated additional charges may be considered as inquiries continued, but declined further comment because the matter remained under investigation.