A 63-year-old man is recovering in Hutt Hospital with severe facial injuries after he was beaten at gunpoint and left for dead behind the Stokes Valley fire station on Tuesday night.
Detective Senior Sergeant Ross Levy, Lower Hutt CIB, said police do not know the motive for the beating which has left the victim with multiple but non life threatening fractures to his face.
"Just why the man was attacked and who was responsible is unclear," Detective Senior Sergeant Levy said today. "It's possible four or five people were involved."
Detective Senior Sergeant Levy said it appears that the victim drove to George Street, Stokes Valley, around 10pm on Tuesday night to meet someone. While in George Street there was a confrontation involving the man, his vehicle and a group of offenders. The man has told police he was assaulted at gunpoint.
The offenders took the man's 2006 Ford Explorer and it was discovered at 12.20am burnt out on the Hutt Riverbank near Taita Rock.
The victim was dumped in a forest green Mazda Capella station wagon bearing a false registration plate on the rear, and left in a park area behind the Stokes Valley fire station. He was able to leave the vehicle at daybreak and went to a George Street house where he contacted police at 6am yesterday.
The station wagon had been stolen from Stout Street , Wellington, between 5pm and 10pm on Saturday while the owner was at the Sevens.
Detective Senior Sergeant Levy said police are appealing for: • information on the identity of people who were in the vicinity of the Stokes Valley road side the Stokes Valley shopping centre around 9pm on Tuesday night • anyone who witnessed a confrontation in George Street around 10pm on Tuesday night • sightings of a light coloured station wagon seen in the George Street and riverbank area around the same time on Tuesday night. • anyone who saw a forest green Mazda station wagon being stolen from Stout Street, Wellington, between 5pm and 10pm, Saturday night.
Please contact Lower Hutt CIB on telephone 560 2600 if you can help.
ENDS