Statement from Detective Inspector Greg Cramer, Operation Venice, Waitemata Police.
A blessing has been held at this afternoon at the scene where Connor Morris was attacked ten days ago. At 1pm today, a local Kaumatua blessed the site on Don Buck Road in Massey, with members of Mr Morris's family and officers from the Operation Venice team present.
The scene examination at Don Buck Road has now finished and Police can confirm that further items of interest have been located in the past few days. These are also undergoing forensic examination.
This is a highly sensitive investigation involving a large number of people, and because of this, we are releasing limited information. We understand that this is the cause of some frustration, however we can reassure the public that that there is a great deal of work going on behind the scenes and we are fully committed to making sure the offender is held to account.
The Operation Venice team is made up of more than 30 officers, including a number of senior Detectives with vast experience in major crime investigations. The team is being led by Detective Inspector Greg Cramer and Detective Senior Sergeant Stan Brown of the Waitemata Police.
Investigations of this nature are complex, we need to ensure that every possible piece of evidence and information that can be gathered is gathered, so that when the offender is put before the courts, they are judged on all the available evidence. This is not a process that can be done in a rush, it is methodical and requires great attention-to-detail.
The Operation Venice team are working hard and are dedicated to doing the best job possible, and though we are limited to what we can discuss publically, what we can say is that we are making progress.
We thank Mr Morris's family for their understanding, and we appreciate the ongoing patience from the public and the media whilst we continue to make gains with our work.
ENDS
Issued by Beth Bates/Waitemata Police