A Christchurch based Indian man was assaulted and reported to be left unconscious on Saturday, May 26, when trying to sell a mobile phone to two buyers near his home.
Talvinder Singh, 31, was taken to the hospital in St John’s Ambulance with grievous injuries to his face, body, arms and head.
The buyer-duo, a male and female, had arrived in a car and kept the engine on, when taking the phone and tried to speed away without paying for it, as told by Mr Singh.
Talvinder Singh's bruised arm in the hospital (Picture Supplied)
“I had put a post on Facebook Marketplace to sell my wife’s used Samsung Galaxy S7 Smartphone,” Mr Singh told The Indian Weekender.
“A female had expressed interest to buy the phone.
“So I have given her my residential address to come and pay and pick the phone,” Mr Singh said.
“I had checked her Facebook profile before agreeing to do business with her just for my own peace of mind.
“Based on her Facebook profile, she appeared to be a genuine buyer and safe to do business with,” Mr Singh said.
Mr Singh lives with his wife and four-year-old daughter in Addington and had a few friends come over to his house for a get together that evening. He got a call from the female at around 6.45 pm on Saturday who asked him to come outside and do the transaction.
Talvinder Singh with his wife and four-year-old daughter (Picture Supplied)
Mr Singh told The Indian Weekender that he went outside to meet buyers without telling anyone at home.
“I saw a young man was on the driver’s seat and a woman in her late teens in the passenger seat with car engine on,” Mr Singh said.
“For a moment I had some doubts in my mind as something did not appear right, however, I continued showing the phone to the girl,” Mr Singh said.
“To my shock, she grabbed the mobile and the driver of the car accelerated the car.
“All I remember after that I was in an ambulance,” Mr Singh said.
“My friends at home told that I came back inside the house injured, called 111 and fell unconscious,” Mr Singh added.
Mr Singh was treated at Christchurch Hospital overnight and released on Sunday, May 27.
The Indian Weekender enquired police for an update on the investigation who confirmed that two people were arrested and charged with theft.
“In relation to an incident involving a stolen phone, which took place on May 26 around 7 p.m. in Addington, Christchurch, a 21-year-old woman and an 18-year-old man have been charged with theft, and they appeared in Christchurch District Court on Wednesday, May 30.
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