P-fuelled robbery spree led to death in dairy

Police at the Uptown Minimart in New North Road where Bhagubhai Vaghela was shot by James Junior Lawrie. Picture / Brett Phibbs.

A P-fuelled robber who went on a month-long rampage with a .22 pistol kept in a holster on his hip told his victims he would kill, before he finally murdered dairy owner Bhagubhai Makanbhai Vaghela for $400 worth of phone cards.

James Junior Lawrie, 26, pleaded guilty to six aggravated robberies and the murder of Mr Vaghela when he appeared before Justice Mark Cooper in the High Court at Auckland yesterday.

His charges followed a robbery spree between May 17 and June 19 last year.

Lawrie told police he was high on crystal methamphetamine, had not slept for weeks, was angry and full of hate.

On June 19, in his last robbery, Lawrie fired the pistol into Mr Vaghela's chest as he was pressing a raid alarm on the ground.

As the 58-year-old dairy owner lay dying, Lawrie hopped behind the counter and helped himself to phone cards.

About 15 minutes later a customer found Mr Vaghela slumped on the floor and called an ambulance but he was dead.

Lawrie told police that the night he killed Mr Vaghela he was driving around after having a fight with his partner.

Lawrie had been taking P all day, was driving past the dairy and made up his mind to get some money.

He went on to say he had been using P for the last couple of months and had only slept in about two to three weeks of that time.

Lawrie's robbery spree started at the Local Liquor store in Mt Albert on May 17.

He held up Louise Adams and customers. His accomplice, whom police say was Bernard Toailoa, helped him to round them up before taking money from their wallets, forcing them into a back storeroom and making them kneel.

They fled with $3600 in cash, a digital camera, medication and the shop's security tape.

Toailoa has pleaded not guilty to five aggravated robbery charges and aggravated wounding.

Lawrie saw customer John McLellan watching him during the robbery and said "keep looking at me and I will kill you".

On June 9 he robbed Xin Hua Emporium in Glendene, where police say he hit Wenyan Guo in the face as she called for help.

Lawrie was holding his pistol at the time.

The next day he robbed VIP Massage Parlour where Yunhai Liu and three employees were working.

When Mr Liu refused to give him cash Lawrie punched him in the head and kicked him. Mr Liu gave him $800.

On June 11 Lawrie robbed Misty Valley Wine Merchants, in Henderson, after taking the pistol from a holster on his hip and pointing it at staff members Brendan King and Daniel Williamson and five customers.

He pointed the loaded pistol at customer Nenad Dikanovic before firing a shot at some shelving.

He said, "I'm serious, no one be a hero, I don't want to hurt anybody but I'll kill someone if I have to."

On June 18 Lawrie robbed Go Go Music Cafe in Balmoral, where he threatened customers with his pistol before pointing it behind the counter and pulling the trigger.

The following day he killed Mr Vaghela in the dairy.

The phone cards he stole from Mr Vaghela were worth $400.

In the course of his robbery spree Lawrie stole money and goods worth $10,600.

Toailoa will appear in the Auckland District Court on July 6 for callover to set a trial date for the charges to which he has pleaded not guilty.

Lawrie has been remanded in custody for sentencing in the High Court at Auckland on August 22.

* Trail of terror

James Junior Lawrie has admitted one charge of murder and six aggravated robberies.

May 17: Local Liquor, Mt Albert.
June 9: Xin Hua Emporium, Glendene.
June 10: VIP Massage Parlour, Auckland City.
June 11: Misty Valley Wine Merchants, Henderson.
June 18: Go Go Music Cafe, Balmoral.
June 19: Uptown Minimart, New North Rd, killing Bhagubhai Vaghela.



Deep hurt behind familiar facade

Outside, little has changed at the Uptown Minimart where Bhagubhai Vaghela died.

The same signs hang in the semi-frosted windows, advertising cheap calls to places like Iran and India.

The inside too, seems familiar. But there is a change. Security has been stepped up since the murder that left staff too scared to stay in the store on their own.

Worker Satya Bhaama said he was terrified of working after Mr Vaghela was shot dead behind the counter.

"For the first months I felt very scared. The daytime was fine but after five or six it was dark."

Mr Bhaama took to hiding a stick behind the counter for safety but his boss told him just to do what he was told if he was ever held up.

Mr Bhaama had not heard about James Lawrie's guilty plea but was delighted by it.

His boss, who did not want to be named, said: "I can't be happy, we lost a man."

He would only begin to feel better once he knew Lawrie had been locked away for life, he said.