Mystery over 'violent death'

SCENE: Police patrol cars stopped shoppers' vehicles entering part of Kaitaia Pak 'n Save's carpark yesterday, after a man's body was found in a car. PHOTO/PETER DE GRAAF

Police hope to know more about how a man suffered a "violent death" in a Kaitaia supermarket carpark once a post-mortem examination is completed today.

Pak'n Save staff found the man's body in a car about 8.15am yesterday.

They called St John Ambulance, the medics then alerting police.

The supermarket, in North Rd just outside town, remained open while a scene examination was carried out.

Police patrol cars stopped shoppers' vehicles entering part of the carpark where the body was found.

About 10 frontline police and detectives were at the scene.

Detective Senior Sergeant Rhys Johnston, who is in charge of the investigation, said the man had suffered a violent death but police were still investigating how that had occurred.

There were no witnesses to the incident and police were keeping an open mind.

It was likely the man's death would be referred to the coroner, Mr Johnston said.

More would be known once a post-mortem examination was completed at Whangarei Hospital today, he said.

The man's name had not been released at edition time yesterday.

He was believed to be aged in his 30s.