In a first for Auckland City Police investigations, an inner-city billboard appealing for information about taxi driver Hiren Mohini's killer is being installed in Fort St late tonight or early tomorrow morning.
The billboard, which measures 6m x 3m, appeals to passersby for information about the identity of a man Police want to speak with, the owner or user of a blue carry bag and the wearer of a distinctive knitted black cap.
"We're trying a range of methods to appeal to the public for information. The billboard space was vacant and its location ties in nicely with the fact we're appealing to Asian communities in the inner city to help us solve this mystery," officer in charge of the homicide investigation, Detective Senior Sergeant Hywel Jones said.
"Mr Mohini's murder investigation is the feature story on tomorrow night's screening of Police 10/7 at 7.30 on TV2.
"We'll also have staff and members of our voluntary Asian Safety Patrol Group handing out fliers and talking to some of the thousands of people celebrating Chinese New Year at the ASB Showgrounds on Saturday.
"We're hopeful that all these appeals and the intensive work my staff are doing on inquiries and following up on information already received from the likes of the ESR, we'll get that key piece of information that will lead us to an arrest, shortly."
In another break from traditional publicity methods, Police have been given a set of DVDs which make appeals to viewers for information and which will be distributed to inner city retail stores and supermarkets for broadcast on their in-house advertising screens.
Anyone with information about who killed Hiren Mohini should call 0800 444 014. Anonymous information can go to Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111.
A dedicated Operation Edgewater e-mail address has also been added - edgewater@police.govt.nz
ENDS
Issued by Noreen Hegarty
Auckland City Police Communications Manager
Ph 09 302 6947 or 0274-951-589
Website: www.police.govt.nz