Three youths arrested over death of breakfast shopper

Gheorghe Simion

Police investigating the fatal bashing of Gheorghe Simion last night arrested three young men.

Detective Senior Sergeant Dave Lynch said the men, two aged 19 and the other 17, would appear in Manukau District Court this morning.

Mr Simion was beaten nearly to death in an unprovoked attack early on Sunday.

He had gone to buy bacon and bread to cook breakfast for his workmates but he never made it to the supermarket.

The electrical engineer, 39, was rushed to Middlemore Hospital with severe head injuries but died yesterday with his wife and teenage daughter at his side.

His death came as a blow to workmates who had been fearing the worst since he failed to turn up with breakfast the previous day. His manager and close friend Michael Williams described Mr Simion as a hardworking employee who had been at Toll's Otahuhu depot for about a year.

"It was quite a demanding job. It suited his character down to the ground. Nothing was too much for him - he took everything in his stride. I saw him as a friend as well as an employee - it's a huge loss."

Mr Williams said taking turns cooking breakfast was a Sunday tradition among the close-knit group of workers at the depot. "It was his turn ... He was buying breakfast for the lads. He would have been going to buy a loaf of bread, some bacon and whatever else they were going to have."

Mr Simion was in the Mangere Town Centre waiting for Foodtown to open when he was assaulted.

Mr Lynch said police believed Mr Simion spent Saturday night in Auckland City before heading to Mangere on Sunday morning. About 6.45am - 15 minutes before he was due to start work - he was seen on a bench near the supermarket.

Witnesses have told police they saw a dark-coloured, four-door car pull up. Two men got out and there was a brief altercation before Mr Simion was repeatedly hit about the head.

Twenty seconds later he was lying unconscious on the ground as his attackers rifled through his pockets. It is believed his wallet was stolen.

His car - a Nissan Skyline, registration RI4346 - is also missing but police are not sure if it was stolen or is parked somewhere. Mr Lynch said police were still seeking public assistance to locate the vehicle.

Mr Williams said his friend's greatest joy in life was his teenage daughter, who recently celebrated her 17th birthday.

"He spoke quite highly of his daughter - that was his reason for living. For her birthday he bought her a car and stereo. That's why he was always bumming overtime off me - to pay for it."

Mr Williams said Mr Simion worked hard for the little money he had so he would not have handed over his wallet and that might have been what the row was about.

Mr Simion and his family moved from Romania to New Zealand about four years ago. He was in the process of applying for New Zealand citizenship.

Mr Simion is the seventh homicide victim in Counties Manukau since June.

Police still want to hear from anyone with information about the attack, including two people seen at a bus stop at Mangere Town Centre shortly before it happened.


POLICE LINE

Anyone with information can phone 0508-627-268 / 0508 MASCOT