A teenager is nursing a fractured nose after robbers attacked a Punjabi family at their South Auckland home for among other things–wait for it–their car’s alloy wheels.
Ranjit (name changed) says two attackers slipped inside the garage when her 18-year-old son, a student, was parking his car at their Mangere home on the night of January 20.
“They had been following him. As soon as they entered, they began raining blows on my son. They kept asking him for the mag (alloy) wheels. They said they’ll bring guns if we call the police,” Ranjit says.
Hearing the commotion, her elder son came rushing from the house and the attackers began beating him too, she says.
“Then, when I tried to intervene, they started pushing me. At this point, my elder son told me to go inside the house and call the police.
“There were two of them. One was wearing a vest and track pants, the other was in a T-shirt over track pants. They didn’t even bother to cover their faces.”
Ranjit says she handed the car keys to the attackers, and the left–only to return. This time they had eyes set on the family’s second car, but the two didn’t know how to get the car to start. “Can you believe it? They asked my elder son to start the car. They left soon after.”
The sordid saga didn’t end there. The attackers reportedly returned a third time, and demanded to take the family’s third vehicle, a hybrid car.
"One of them looked at the hybrid car and said he wanted it. I told him they could take whichever car they wanted and just go. We were so scared and could never think that something like this could happen to us," says Ranjit.
In the meantime, according to the mother, the police helicopter was seen hovering over the house, and after that the attackers left, but threatened they would come back.”
The distraught mother says after the attack that lasted 30 minutes, she pointed the police to the attackers, who were still lingering near the house.
"I am appalled by the fact that the police are saying that they can't do anything against the culprits as they do not have enough evidence.
“What kind of country is this? We feel so unsafe and helpless. I asked the police to issue a restraining order, at least. They said they couldn’t do that.”
When contacted, a spokesperson from NZ Police told The Indian Weekender, "Police are making enquiries following a report of an altercation at an address in Māngere on Saturday, January 20.
“Around 8.30pm, police responded to reports of an assault between two separate parties. No serious injuries were reported, and enquiries are ongoing to determine the full circumstances of what occurred. At this stage, no arrests have been made. Police will update those involved directly on the process of the investigation as it continues.”
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