Family Wants Answers After Assault And Theft Of Vehicle

A 21-year-old Invercargill man was left unconscious on the side of the road on Monday morning after four patched gang members knocked him out and stole his ute.

The family of the victim wish to remain anonymous but have already received hundreds of messages of support for their son, who suffered a broken cheekbone.

Police are still searching for the gold Mazda Bounty ute with black wheels, and the family have been left feeling disappointed that more has not been done by authorities.

After leaving a private family gathering in the early hours of Monday morning, the young man and his friend were driving along Crinan Street when a vehicle with its lights on full beam came up behind them.

Pulling over thinking they had done something wrong, two vehicles boxed him in and the assailants asked him whose ute he was driving.

After punching him unconscious, they took off in his ute and when police arrived the officers drove the victim to the station for questioning.

The father of the victim said why they didn’t take him straight to hospital he didn’t know, especially when it was much closer than the police station.

“They just kept asking him what he’d done to deserve it.  They were trying to pin some blame on him.

“My family has had enough of gang-related drama’s in Invercargill.  It seems to have escalated.”

“People are sick of the intimidation.”

There have been sightings of the vehicle in Mataura on social media but the family said police were reluctant to investigate.