A man has allegedly “attempted” to sexually assault a child in broad daylight in a Palmerston suburb and is still at large, while the NT Police failed to provide the public information on the nature of the incident on Wednesday afternoon.

Police said late on Thursday morning that they were still searching for the man, who has been described as 150cm tall, of “Aboriginal appearance” with a short, stocky build and short shaved hair. They also claimed he was seen wearing red and white boxer shorts at some point.

The man allegedly entered a home in Driver around 2:30pm on Wednesday and came into contact with a child aged between six – 10 years.

He was disturbed by someone at the home and fled on foot naked, police said.

Questions remain over the lack of information provided to the public in the hours following the incident.

Police media issued a press release on Wednesday night just before 8pm, stating they were currently “conducting an operation in the vicinity of Widdup Crescent” in Driver but gave no details or information.

They stated that residents were “urged to report any suspicious behaviour in the area” but offered no explanation of what had occurred or why they were conducting a broad “operation” in the area.

The only detail provided was that the operation followed “an alleged assault” that occurred at an unknown time, listed as only “this afternoon”. It also failed to state the offence was a sexual assault.

On Thursday, Commander Sachin Sharma said at a press conference that police had attended the scene immediately, but apparently was not asked why they did not make the incident public and provide details earlier for what the community should be looking for.

“There’s a number of witnesses, statements, forensic examination and door knocks that have been occurring overnight,” he said.

Police are focusing on Driver and Elrundie avenues, Widdup Cr, Mahony Cct, Greer and Lillian courts, Waterhouse Cr and the surrounding areas

.

Anyone with information, including CCTV footage, is being asked to call police on 131 444, or report anonymously via Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000.

Cmdr Sharma said the child and family were being “looked after” by police.

Last year, the NT Independent published a series of articles exposing how alleged rapes and sexual assaults, including of children, had either not been made public soon after they had happened – even in cases when the alleged offender was still at large – or the sexual part of the assault had been hidden, and in one case, the executive had not made public the alleged rape element of a break-in, only describing it as a break-in and robbery.

Police have refused to say why they do not inform the public about serious sexual assault incidents in a timely manner.