Kiwi actor Shane Cortese has recounted a terrifying incident he experienced on an Auckland train with his autistic son on Saturday.
The Outrageous Fortune star says two men and a woman stole an iPad off his son Kees.
"Kees and I were on one of our regular train trips so he could make VLOGS with his iPad," Cortese wrote on Facebook.
"He sits a couple of seats in front of me and loves these trips. At Middlemore two men and a woman got on the train and sat around us and acted very intimidatingly to both me and my 10-year-old."
He described the offenders as "big, heavy set New Zealanders with very bad facial tattoos".
Cortese said his son became agitated and began "panicking and crying" when his iPad was taken.
"I then had the pleasure of one of them standing over me and asking me 'what the f… was I looking at'. They got off the train at Papatoetoe and abused me through the window."
Cortese said he felt "disappointed" he couldn't protect his son.
"That's what dads do".
Auckland Transport spokesman Mark Hannan confirmed to Newshub an incident occurred around 10:30am on Saturday, when two men and a woman allegedly snatched an iPad from a boy who was travelling with his family.
"The trio got off the train at Papatoetoe and were monitored by security and on CCTV," he said.
"Footage from the train and station cameras has been saved for police."
Mr Hannan said the trio were spotted on another train, and were monitored by staff until police arrived to meet them at their stop.
Newshub.
