Hamilton dairy worker loses fingers in machete attack

A worker lost two fingers after being attacked by a man with a machete at a dairy in Frankton, Hamilton. (Source: Included)

Warning: The story contains footage and details that some viewers may find disturbing

A dairy worker in Hamilton was traumatized after having two of his fingers cut off by a machete-wielding robber earlier this morning.

Owner Puneet Singh told 1News he and one of his employees had just opened Irvine Street Dairy in Frankton when four men – one armed with a machete – entered the store around 7.20am.

The worker ran toward the back room after seeing the group, but “the guy with the machete chased him and attacked him,” he said.

Puneet said the worker lost his thumb and index finger after raising his arm to defend himself.

“His finger was on the floor when I came here and then I saw him, he was totally passed out and passed out and couldn’t speak and walk.”

Dairy owner Puneet Singh. (Source: 1News)

A neighbor who rushed to help “immediately” after hearing the worker’s screams was slapped in the face by a member of the group.

“He was knocked out and even after that the guy with the machete tried to hit his leg with the machete and missed his leg by millimeters. Otherwise he could have lost his leg too.”

He said the worker called him “screaming” around 7.30am this morning but “I couldn’t understand what was going on”.

“I opened the camera and saw him lying here while some neighbors took care of him,” he said.

“I realized something was happening and I walked into the store right after.”

He said the worker was able to activate the smoke cannon after the attack, “but by then it was too late.”

The worker has since been taken to the hospital. It is unknown at this time if the fingers can be reattached.

Puneet said the thieves also stole “almost all the cigarettes we have – no cash, just cigarettes”.

“We don’t know what to do at the moment because it’s very unsafe even for the staff, everyone is working and too much is happening,” he said.

“Just a month ago a man died in Auckland. We made a big protest for him and still all these things are happening and the government is not doing anything to protect us or keep us safe.”

“It’s really bad right now.”

Puneet said he did not expect the worker to return to the shop after the attack “because it will be scary for him to work in the premises where all this happened”.

“He’s like my younger brother and I’ll do whatever I can for him.”