Police need public help in their hunt for a Palmerston North kidnapper.

Five-year-old Shekinah Relies-Skipper was picked up outside her Takaro School around 8:30 by a man driving a white late-model Nissan Maxima.

She was then dumped around 11, just seven kilometres away.

Police would like to hear from anyone who may have seen the vehicle yesterday morning.

Inspector Sarah Stewart said the young girl was taken by someone not known to her, and they want to catch him to find out why.

Inspector Stewart said the incident is rare here in New Zealand, but it's every family's worst nightmare.