Source: Radio New Zealand
Dairy owner Kamlesh Patel was left with serious injuries after aggravated robbery. SUPPLIED
Police will use the Eagle helicopter in Christchurch as part of a two-month operation to tackle a recent rise in youth crime.
Officers arrested a 14-year-old boy after an Opawa dairy owner was stabbed during an aggravated robbery on Tuesday.
Three people robbed Opawa Discounter dairy in an early morning raid and left owner Kamlesh Patel with serious injuries.
The offenders fled in a car, taking a till and other items.
Canterbury District Commander superintendent Tony Hill said the Eagle helicopter would be temporarily sent to Christchurch on Friday.
“This operation is being launched to disrupt offending patterns, hold offenders to account and deter any further offending,” he said.
“We understand there is a lot of frustration among the community following recent offending, and we hear you.
“We know the impact this has on business owners and their staff. Nobody should turn up to work in fear of becoming the next victim of this violent offending.”
Police said they were also boosting the ‘youth targeting team’ with extra staff.
On Tuesday Hill called for public help to find people involved in the dairy robbery and any sightings of a silver Toyota MarkX with the registration number NRP221.
“We would like anyone who may have seen this vehicle in the Opawa or surrounding areas to please contact police immediately,” he said.
In a post on social media, Kamlesh Patel’s daughter Nidhi Patel said the attack on her father was “shocking and heartbreaking”.
“My dad works 16-18 hours a day, 7 days a week. He pours his heart into supporting his community and genuinely loves what he does. The dairy is not just his work – it’s his home, his safe place,” she said.
Patel said the family had been left shaken and frustrated.
She said her father was in a stable condition but had a long road to recovery.
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– Published by EveningReport.nz and AsiaPacificReport.nz, see: MIL OSI in partnership with Radio New Zealand
