An 87-year-old man was grabbed from behind, thrown into the rear foot-well of his car, held down and robbed of his keys and wallet before being taken to several Hastings money machines to get his abductors more cash on Saturday, police say.
After interviewing the victim yesterday, police confirmed it started when the man returned to his car about 4pm on Saturday after shopping at the Hastings Countdown supermarket.
As he loaded bags into the vehicle he was approached by a woman who was asking directions when a younger male associate grabbed the victim from behind and threw him into the back of his own car.
After being held-down, threatened and robbed, the man was driven by the woman in the car around Hastings for about 20 minutes, at one stage parking outside the Mahora shops.
The woman then drove the car back towards the supermarket, near where she parked and left the elderly man in the back struggling to move.
"After some time the elderly man was able to seek help from a nearby shop," police said.
The offenders were seen in a faded black car, which was likely to have been parked in the Countdown car park for up to 30 minutes beforehand.
No arrests had been made by early last night, and police were still seeking information about the attackers, who were described as a Maori woman aged about 50 and a younger male, and about the movements of the two vehicles.
A retired police officer, now a Grey Power leader representing over 1400 senior citizens in Hastings, is calling for resurrection of police street patrols to combat crime against the elderly.
Grey Power Hastings and Districts president Ron Wilkins retired as a Senior Sergeant after a 34-year career which included three years "pounding the pavement and checking doors" in Heretaunga St, Hastings, in the 1960s.
He said safety and security around money machines is "a very big concern" to Grey Power, and members want to see more police on the streets and greater security in the vicinity of the ATMs.
He said the feeling of being watched and targeted around the machines is "something that is rife" among the elderly in New Zealand and he believes the presence of officers on the street is a greater deterrent to crime.
Yesterday there were continuing social media expressions of disgust about the attack.
Hawke's Bay Today is accepting donations to help the victim. Anyone wishing to donate is asked to contact Hawke's Bay Today offices in Napier and Hastings or to email news@hbtoday.co.nz or call our newsdesk on 873 0810.