In another despicable attempt to rob a dairy store, a Hamilton man has lost his eye trying to defend an ‘unprovoked attack’ at his dairy store.
Ajit Farrar, 58, was at his shop on preparing for lunch at around 12:45 p.m. on Monday, November 27 when four masked men entered the store to rob.
Three men scaled inside to loot the goods and cash, and the fourth robber armed with a knife attacked the unprovoked, unarmed sole attendant, Mr Farrar.
It appeared that while trying to defend himself, Mr Farrar tried to grab the blade and the robber hurt him in the face with force. Mr Farrar also injured his hand and seriously injured his face.
The robbers then fled the store, likely empty-handed.
"One of the men approached the victim with a knife while the others have tried to get into the rear of the store," Detective Sergeant Scott Neilson, of Waikato police said.
Although the police could not confirm how Mr Farrar received such an injury to his eye, his daughter said he was stabbed in the eye by a sharp object.
He remembers seeing a knife, he also had a cut on his hand, and lost a few teeth."
The doctor at the Waikato Hospital on Wednesday told the family that Mr Farrar’s eye cannot be saved and surgery would be needed so that the infection does not spread to the other eye.
The store has been kept closed for the last two days and will open only when Mr Farrar’s health condition is known.
The family has been a victim of four to five major attacks at their Irvine Street Dairy in Frankton in the last few years and minor shopliftings in the recent months. A few years ago Mr Farrar’s two daughters were held at knifepoint while working at the store. The family then installed a cage at the register for more protection.
"We have had about four to five big robberies, but we seem to have a few small ones every few months,” Mr Farrar’s daughter said.
Mr Farrar’s family is shaken by this attack and have expressed their concern about their future as it is unlikely that Mr Farrar will be back at the store anytime soon.
Police were now looking to identify a group of men captured on CCTV footage in the neighbourhood at the time of the crime.
"We would like to speak to the men identified in the picture who was in the area at the time, and hear from anyone who may have information," Neilson said.
If anyone has the information, they can contact Waikato police on 07 858 6200. Information can also be left anonymously via Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111.