Man attacked with brick in Waikato

An elderly man who was bashed on the back of the head with a brick in Waikato is angry that he was targeted in broad daylight.

The man, in his 70s, who did not want to be named, was unloading his delivery van in Huntly about 5pm on Saturday when he was attacked.

A man wearing a hoodie struck the elderly man twice on the back of the head with a paving stone. When the victim turned, he was punched in the face. His attacker then stole a small sum of cash from his pockets.

The elderly man said the first blows felt like an electric shock.

"I didn't feel too much of the pain and thought that I had been electrocuted. I thought a power wire had come down over the van or something like that," he told the Waikato Times.

"But after I got a couple of bashes and hit in the side of my head with a fist, I then realised somebody had attacked me and just robbed me of what money I had in my pockets."

The man had been unloading his parked van in the street - out of view from most passers-by.

Police said the offender was Maori, in his late 20s or early 30s, 169-178cm tall and wearing a white shirt and green army-style camouflage pants. He made his escape on a bicycle, riding toward East Huntly.

The victim has lived in Huntly for about 10 years and said it was the first time he had experienced anything like it.

"I've never had anything like this happen. I get on well with the community and mix with them all and wouldn't say it's out of character, but it's out of character with the people that I deal with."

He was also angry such an attack could take place in his town.

"They're layabouts and gutless people, and don't care who they attack. They ought to get real and get themselves a job and do something in society ...

"There's always some idiot out there who wants to prey on somebody, just for a few dollars," he said.

Anyone who witnessed the robbery or has information should contact Ngaruawahia police station on 078245474 or Huntly police on 8287560.

- NZPA