Police say a man who tried to kidnap a woman out jogging in Christchurch early on Monday also attempted to approach another woman that morning.
In the first reported incident the man tried to drag the woman away, but fled after a passing motorist intervened.
Police are urgently seeking information about the man following confirmation of the second approach in the suburb of Fendalton.
Detective Senior Sergeant Damon Wells said: "At around 6.20am on 3 October, an unknown man approached a woman jogging on Kotare Street. Police now believe the same man approached another woman on Fendalton Road at 6.55am at the intersection of Clyde and Fendalton.
"The man was observed lying down at the corner of Clyde and Creyke roads, which may have been captured by passing motorists' dashcams."
He was last seen heading north on Glandovey Road at about 7am.
The man was described as being possibly of Indian descent, medium-build, approximately 176cm to 179cm tall, with short black hair and a short beard.
He was believed to be between 25 and 33-years-old and was wearing a dark-coloured vest over a dark t-shirt, with white stripes on the sleeves and dark-coloured track pants with white strips along the sides. His left trouser leg was rolled up to the knee.
"Police acknowledge the concern this will be causing in the community and would like to reassure residents that we are doing everything we can to identify and locate the man responsible," Wells said.
"We are taking this matter extremely seriously and have increased patrols in the area."
Police asked that anyone in the areas surrounding Glandovey Road who saw the man or noticed anything out of the ordinary contact them.
Residents who had CCTV covering the footpath and road were asked to review footage captured between 6am and 8am on Monday, 3 October, and to get in touch with police if they noticed anything suspicious.