Police were called to the Rose Cottage Suprette at 8:05 pm on November 23 after a man stole the cash register and fatally wounded the staff member. The altercation occurred 100m down the road from the store, where the victim approached the offender and recieved multiple stab wounds. The offender then placed the cash register in a wheelie bin and left. Police are still looking for the offender.
The 34-year-old was newly married and looking after the store for its owners, who are on holiday in India. Hundreds gathered around the store on November 24 to grieve the tragedy.
According to the Sandringham Business Association, the Superette was denied funding for a fog cannon under the Government’s new Crime Fund scheme. The area has been a target for crime over the last several months.
"Very sad and tragic. This was our worst fear. Last night an innocent employee working at a dairy shop in Sandringham in Auckland has died of stabbing in an aggravated robbery," said Sunny Kaushal, Chair of Dairy and Business Owners Association.
Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern shared her thoughts in a social media statement below, but a number of comments under both the Facebook and Instagram posts are questioning why it has taken a death for action from the Government.
"So all it took was someone dying for you to realise there is a crime problem targeting small businesses? Or did you deny this store their funding for ram raids as well, like many others across Auckland," said one user.
Police Minister Chris Hipkins has said these accusations are using an inflammatory rhetoric that isn't particularly helpful.
