The Prime Minister says she will meet with the family of the man fatally stabbed outside a Sandringham store when they are ready, but that more needs to be done for the local community as quickly as possible.
Jacinda Ardern has held a media conference in Auckland today, after meeting with Sandringham community leaders and police to discuss crime in the city.
Watch the PM's standup here:
Today's meetings followed the fatal stabbing of Janak Patel, 34, at the Rose Cottage Superette in Sandringham on Wednesday night. A man accused of murdering the dairy worker appeared in court this morning.
The New Zealand Herald has reported the 34-year-old did not enter a plea before JP Les Smith in the Auckland District Court today. According to court documents, he is charged with murder and aggravated robbery.
A second man, 42, was also arrested last night and has been charged with robbery.
Ardern has spoke with the victim's family.
"I'm very mindful of the fact they haven't yet laid their loved one to rest, but I would like to meet with them face to face.
"I would describe the conversation as full of sorrow."
Ardern said she had reached out to the owner of the dairy but said she had not visited the site.
Ardern met with members of the Sandringham Business Association today and said there were additional things that the government could do to help the local community and that would take the coming together of council, insurers, landlords and government.
"There's a number of parties that we need to bring together as quickly as possible."
She also acknowledged the work police had done over the past 72 hours having made an arrest and brought the alleged offender to court.
Ardern said there was a spate of aggravated burglaries in 2016 and the fog cannon initiative was launched with strict criteria, with that criteria expanded and loosened in 2018. She said recent funding had been focused on ram raids and the government was of the view that it needed to go back and review the situation.
Ardern said on the day of the stabbings, ministers were meeting to look at what steps could be taken in terms of preventative activity.
"We have been looking to add tools, we have not taken them away. We've been doing that for some time now."
Police Minister Chris Hipkins said the police were working actively with retailers about the things they could do to keep themselves safe, such as getting advice about things like store layout.
Janak Patel's funeral will be held in South Auckland tomorrow.
