A 63-year-old man who died after being found injured on a street in Wellington’s Miramaris now believed to be the victim of a robbery.
Around 2am on March 17, police were called after an intruder was discovered in a home on Darlington Rd.
Twenty minutes later, 63-year-old Abdul Nabizadah was found with serious head injuries at the intersection of Camperdown and Totara roads.
A homicide investigation was launched after Nabizadah, originally from Afghanistan, died of his injuries in hospital.
Parallel investigations were launched into both incidents.
A 28-year-old man appeared in court last Thursday charged with aggravated burglary and aggravated injury.
Detective Inspector Nick Pritchard today said police were “now treating the cases as being linked after confirming why Nabizadah was in the area”.
“We also believe he was the victim of a robbery,” he said.
“With the investigation ongoing, we cannot provide further details at this time.
“There is still much work for us to do, but I would like to thank the members of the public who have come forward with information, which has allowed us to progress the investigations.”
Pritchard reiterated earlier appeals for information to help officers identify a pedestrian walking from Camperdown Rd into Darlington Rd at 12.28am.
The person, who was wearing a light top and dark pants, may have crucial information, he said.
Police were also continuing to seek the driver of a 2006 silver or grey Mazda 6 that was seen driving through the Darlington Rd/Camperdown Rd intersection several times between 11.50pm on Sunday, March 16 and 2.17am on Monday, March 17.
