Brutal attack on NRC worker

Knife-wielding pair rob man at layby then throw bleach in his eyes

Police are appealing for help in tracking down the men who robbed a Northland Regional Council employee at knifepoint yesterday morning, then threw bleach into his eyes and face.

It was not known yesterday whether the victim, who remains in hospital, will suffer permanent sight damage.

The attack occurred at about 7am, on State Highway 10, at the Oromahoe Road turnoff about 10 kilometres south of the Kerikeri crossroads.

Detective Sergeant Sam Bindon (Kerikeri) said the 45-year-old victim, who lives in Kerikeri, was driving south when a vehicle came up from behind him, with its lights flashing. He pulled over on to a gravel layby, where he was assaulted by at least two men. He was threatened and a knife was held to his face, leaving him with cuts.

His assailants took his cell phone and wallet, which they appeared to have searched before throwing it away. They then threw bleach into his eyes and face before driving off towards Pakaraka.

Detective Sergeant Bindon said a local man saw the victim in distress and stopped to help, calling an ambulance and police. The call came in at 7.30am but it was not known exactly how long the victim had been trying to get help. He was treated at the scene then taken initially to Bay of Islands Hospital in Kawakawa.

It was too early to say if the victim would suffer lasting effects to his sight. He was still undergoing treatment yesterday and police had not yet been able to take a statement from him. The attackers' motive was as yet unclear, but police were investigating a number of possibilities.

Police were keen to hear from anyone who was travelling on SH10 between Kerikeri and Oromahoe around 7-7.40am yesterday and who may have seen the victim's ute being followed by a car flashing its lights. The victim had been waiting for a safe place to pull over, so could have been followed for some time. The only description of the offenders' car so far was that it was white with a sloping bonnet, possibly a Honda Prelude, Honda Accord or similar. The victim was driving a white Nissan Navara twin-cab ute with Northland Regional Council signwriting.

Yesterday morning was foggy and the vehicles had stopped well off the road, so the attack itself might not have been seen, although with plenty of traffic at that hour Detective Sergeant Bindon believed someone must have seen the ute being followed by a car flashing its lights.

Anyone who may have seen the attackers or could describe their car was urged to call to the Kerikeri police station on (09) 407-9211.

Meanwhile a regional council spokesman said management had been in contact with the staff member's family, and were providing support as needed.

Senior Sergeant Peter Robinson advised anyone being followed by another vehicle flashing its lights to wait for a safe place to pull over with plenty of visibility and other people in the vicinity.