Auckland Police have launched an investigation into the unexplained death of a man found in Mt Wellington early this morning, following an attempted burglary at a hardware store.
Police were called to the scene on Ellerslie-Panmure Highway around 1.30am, after an alarm was triggered at a local hardware retail store.
Upon arrival, officers established cordons around the premises. The Police Eagle helicopter was also deployed and soon located a man lying unresponsive in the grounds of nearby Sir Woolf Fisher Park.
Officers directed to the scene administered first aid, but efforts to revive the man were unsuccessful and he was pronounced dead at the scene.
Police are working to establish the man’s connection to the earlier burglary, which occurred approximately 20 minutes prior to the discovery.
“This is a developing investigation and the man’s death is being treated as unexplained at this stage,” said Detective Senior Sergeant Anthony Darvill. A post-mortem examination is scheduled to be carried out today to help determine the cause of death and inform the next steps of the investigation.
A scene examination is currently underway at Sir Woolf Fisher Park, which borders Barrack Road. Police are also continuing to investigate the burglary itself, and confirm that one offender remains outstanding.
Police are appealing to the public for information. Anyone who was in the area and may have seen suspicious activity is urged to contact Police on 105, quoting file number 250806/9585, or provide information online at the Police website.
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