Police compiles list of suspects for dairy killer

Christopher Robert Smith

Police hunting the killer of minimart worker Bhagubhai Vaghela have compiled a list of suspects which includes dangerous men wanted in connection with other aggravated robberies.

At the top of that list is Christopher Robert Smith, a 33-year-old tattooist described as a "career criminal" who is on the run from police.

Smith is wanted in relation to an aggravated robbery of the Buckland's Beach Superette earlier this month.

He was paroled last year for the 1994 aggravated robbery of a Tuakau bank and for escaping custody and stabbing a policeman on his way to court for that crime.

While there was no evidence Smith had anything to do with Sunday's fatal shooting, police say he - and others wanted in connection with aggravated robberies - is a good place to start because of similarities in the crimes.

Detective Inspector Steve Rutherford said Smith allegedly entered the Buckland's Beach Superette on Sunday June 5, armed with a small-calibre firearm.

The gun was similar to the one used in Sunday night's fatal shooting of 58-year-old Mr Vaghela at the Uptown Minimart in Eden Terrace.

Mr Rutherford said Smith was dangerous, used P and police had concerns about his mental state.

"I don't want to be alarmist but we deal with facts and we deal with statistics. Smith and a number of other criminals have to be persons of interest."

Another person of interest in the homicide inquiry was an unidentified man who was captured on camera robbing the Parkside Dairy in Pukekohe on June 10. That man also used a firearm which was pointed at an employee.

Detective Inspector Bernie Hollewand, who is heading the search for the minimart killer, said a team of 42 officers from all three of Auckland's policing districts were working on the case.

Part of their job would be working through other aggravated robberies that involved firearms.

The names or images of such people would be released in the next few days as cases with similarities were identified.

Mr Hollewand said people harbouring the likes of Smith should contact police immediately.

"You better call us and talk to us because if we have to come visiting uninvited it will be a lively and memorable experience.

"We are treating these people as armed and dangerous and the armed offenders squad will be first through the doors and windows."

Police also had advice for dairy owners, saying they should comply with all demands if they found themselves in an armed situation.

They also recommended the use of working security cameras and not storing large amounts of cash in the till.

The security camera at the Uptown Minimart was not working when Mr Vaghela was shot, so police have no footage of the incident, which is believed to have taken place sometime after 8.30pm.

There were no signs of a struggle and Mr Vaghela was shot while standing behind the counter, rekindling memories of the execution-type killings of Marcus Doig, 23, and John Vaughan, 44, who were shot by Ese Falealii in 2002.

"That is how serious it is, or could well be," said Mr Rutherford, referring to the hunt for Mr Vaghela's killer.

A police hotline has been established for anyone with information about the shooting or suspects: Ph 0800 RENDALL / 0800 736325