An uncle of Dean Whakatau says LA Tukerangi's disappearance was never a kidnapping, but a girl not wanting to be with her parents.

An uncle of Dean Whakatau claims LA Tukerangi's disappearance was just a girl not wanting to be with her parents.

Police on Thursday confirmed no charges had been laid against Dean Whakatau, the man said to have been travelling with Auckland 15-year-old.

Opotiki and Te Kaha police caught up with Whakatau on Thursday morning and LA was found safe.

MIKE SCOTT/Waikato Times Thanks to a call from the public LA Tukerangi has been found safe in the Bay of Plenty after claims of being kidnapped by Dean Whakatau.

A hunt for the pair began on the weekend when it was claimed LA told family that she was being held against her will by Whakatau, 36.

At a press conference in Rotorua on Thursday afternoon, police said there was still a great deal of work to do.

"We will have specialist interviewers speak with LA in detail to piece together events over the last couple of weeks and to establish if any criminal offences have been committed," Detective Senior Sergeant Zane Smith said.

Supplied LA Tukerangi told family on Saturday she was being held against her will by Dean Whakatau.

"This work is likely to take some days and it is not appropriate for me to make further comment on this work until it is complete.

"I do want to express my sincere thanks to the community for their assistance. Without the overwhelming public response over the last few days we may not have located LA as quickly as we have."

Smith refused to speculate on comments from Whakatau's uncle, Charlie Whakatau, who claimed Tukerangi's disappearance was not a kidnapping.

"It's too early for us to speculate [about] what's happened over the last couple of weeks. It's important to speak to LA tomorrow using the specialist interviewer. What I can say is the first contact police have had with LA since August 1 was when she was physically located this morning."

Speaking outside the Opotiki police station on Thursday afternoon, Charlie Whakatau claimed to have spoken with LA that morning.

"LA asked if she could come and live with me and my partner at Rotoma. She said she doesn't want to go back to her parents."

He said he first met LA on the day of her disappearance.

"She and my nephew were with us at Rotoma on the Monday," he said

"I had not seen my nephew for a long time."

He said he stood by his nephew.

Meanwhile LA's mother Marie Tukerangi had on Thursday night not yet seen her daughter and referred questions to the Manukau Urban Maori Authority, the chief executive of which was broadcaster Willie Jackson.

"At the moment we just want to see her and it's a long story," Tukerangi said.

Additional reporting: Whakatane Beacon.