“They were headed to McDonald’s in Britomart – a place we’ve visited many times as a family, but this time was different,” he said.
Kurt said he was at home with his wife when he received a phone call about 3pm.
“It was my son. He said, ‘Dad, some guys have stolen my shoes’.”
He explained that he and his three friends were about to order their food at McDonald’s when a group of about six slightly older teenagers with larger builds began watching them.
After a few minutes, Kurt’s son and his friends left the restaurant, but the other group followed them.
Just outside, near the bike shelter, the group surrounded his son and his friend while his other friends stood a few metres away, Kurt said.
“One of the boys – who seemed to be the ringleader – said to my son, ‘What are you looking at? I saw you looking at me’.”
A 13-year-old boy in broad daylight was punched in the head and threatened with being stabbed if he didn’t hand over his shoes. Photo / Jason Dorday
‘Give me your shoes or I’ll stab you’
Kurt said without warning, the alleged ringleader threw a left hook and punched his son in the cheek.
The offender then reached into his bum bag and said; “Give me your shoes or I’ll stab you”.
He said his son did not want to escalate the situation or put his friends at risk, so he “sheepishly” took off his new shoes and handed them over.
He said his son managed to escape toward Te Ara Tahuhu Square, where they were followed.
“He was going in and out of shops saying, ‘Can I hide in here? Have you got a change room I can hide in?’
“My son and his friend took shelter in the Adidas store, where security quickly noticed,” he said.
“My wife and I quickly jumped in the car and headed into the city to make sure our son and his friend were safe.”
Kurt said not a single member of the public stepped in or seemed to notice the attack on his son.
Police said they received a report about 3.40pm on Sunday, October 19, of an assault and robbery outside a Britomart business.
Police spoke with two people and are investigating.
A 13-year-old boy in broad daylight was punched in the head and threatened with being stabbed if he didn’t hand over his shoes. Photo / Jason Dorday
Auckland CBD police presence
Kurt said the police presence in the Britomart area needs to be elevated and better managed.
“A 13-year-old boy having his shoes stolen in broad daylight – what is going on in the world today?”
He said his son managed to withstand the punch due to his bravery and resilience, but took a day off school to recover.
“He’s been left disappointed that something like this could happen in what’s meant to be a safe country like New Zealand.”
The family is from Sydney and has been living in New Zealand for six years.
“This incident has sadly shone a light on a deeper, more troubling side of New Zealand that we hadn’t encountered before,” Kurt said.
This incident comes after another unprovoked attack in Britomart McDonald’s in the same week.
A 13-year-old girl was allegedly blindsided in a brutal and unprovoked attack while ordering food last Tuesday.
Her mother said CCTV footage of the assault showed her being tossed around like a ”ragdoll” in a scene that left her friends shaken.
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