KEY POINTS:
Police are hunting three men who ambushed and beat a pizza delivery driver with a bottle, before taking off with a pizza, a small amount of cash and the man's car which was later torched.
The incident occurred in the Porirua suburb of Cannons Creek, Porirua, on Saturday night.
The attack on the 34-year-old victim who had moved to New Zealand from China six years ago was "despicable," Detective Senior Sergeant Mike Oxnam said.
"He was a hard working young man who relied on his car and several years of part time pizza delivery work to fund his way through study for an information technology degree at Whitireia Polytechnic (Porirua)."
He was tricked into delivering a pizza at 11pm on Saturday to Bedford Street near the Mungavin Avenue corner where his attackers lay in wait for him.
He was hit on the head with a bottle, knocked to the ground and threatened.
"The offenders stole the pizza, the very small amount of cash he was carrying on him, and then stole his car keys and car which was later found burnt out near the boatsheds at the southern end of Titahi Bay."
After the attack, he made his way to the nearby Cannons Creek shopping area to find help and was treated in hospital for cuts and bruises to his head.
Police are appealing for sightings of the man's green Nissan Sentra 5-door hatch, registration UI3120, and information about the robbery.
- NZPA
