Detective Inspector Scott Beard gives a briefing on the fatal stabbing at the Rose Cottage Superette, Sandringham. Photo: RNZ / Marika Khabazi
Police say a man they are looking for in relation to the fatal stabbing at a Sandringham dairy appeared to be acting alone.
They are appealing to the public for information and any CCTV footage.
Police launched a homicide inquiry after a worker at the Rose Cottage Superette was fatally stabbed in a robbery last night.
Officers were called to the scene near the corner of Haverstock Road and Fowlds Avenue just after 8pm.
The worker died in hospital.
Detective Inspector Scott Beard said a witness described seeing a man walking around outside before the robbery.
He was wearing dark clothing, a black cap, black trackpants with white writing down one leg and a black and white bandanna on his face.
Beard said police wanted to hear from anyone in community who had seen any suspicious activity or had any CCTV footage.
"We are appealing to anyone in the community who may know who this man is."
Rose Cottage Superette. Photo: RNZ / Marika Khabazi
The homicide investigation into the tragic death was continuing with police staff going door to door speaking to nearby residents, he said.
"The Sandringham community will see a definite increase in the number of police staff."
Beard said police wanted to hear from anyone in the community who had seen any suspicious activity or had any CCTV footage.
He said a till was stolen from the shop.
"There's nothing at this stage to suggest there was more than one person [involved]," he said.
No weapon had been found.
The worker who was attacked was running the superette while the owners were overseas, a Neighbourhood Support coordinator said.
About 100 Sandringham residents gathered near the dairy today in a show of support.
Floral tributes outside the dairy where the worker was stabbed. Photo: RNZ / Lucy Xia
'No one should fear their loved one going to work' - PM
Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern has reacted to the "horrific" fatal stabbing.
In a statement posted on Facebook, Ardern said she would continue to seek updates from the police and would share any new information.
"For now, what I do know is that no one should fear their loved one going to work. No one should have to confront such senseless violence or crime. To the family who today mourns their lost loved one - I am so sorry this has happened," she said.
" I know our Sandringham Community is a tight knit one, and they will be feeling this deeply too. Our job as government is to make sure those who commit such crimes are brought to justice, and to try and prevent them occurring at all. On both counts, we will keep doing all we can."
Speaking Hamilton this afternoon, Ardern said this was a horrific event.
It was important that police were as well supported as possible to bring the person to justice, she said.
She "completely disagreed" opposition claims the government was soft on crime and said penalties for offences such as aggravated burglary remained the same as under previous governments.
Ardern said a decrease in the number of ram raids would have been due to the high number of prosecutions police had brought on that type of offence recently.