Police believe slain Auckland man Shannon Baker suffered through a "prolonged and violent" attack as his killers tried to gain the combination for the safe at his home.
The 55-year-old father-of-two adult children was found dead in his home on Calgary St in Sandringham on the morning of Tuesday December 11.
Detective Inspector Aaron Pascoe said police believed robbery was the motivation for the killing after Baker’s home was targeted twice in the days before his death.
"We believe robbery was the motivation for what occurred on the night of the 10th and the morning of the 11th," Detective Inspector Pascoe said.
"His property was searched, ransacked, drawers tipped out and we believe that there may be a link between the two earlier offences and the offence that occurred that night."
Investigators found an unopened safe containing money – not an enormous amount, according to police - at Baker’s home, Detective Inspector Pascoe said.
"We have discovered during our scene examination that there was a safe inside his address and we believe that the offenders on the night of his death have found that safe," he said.
"The safe was not opened and we believe that it may be one of the reasons he was subjected to a prolonged and violent attack was the offenders trying to get the combination for the safe."
"I’m not going to go into the mechanism of how he came to be deceased, that is something we want to hold within the investigative team at this point."
Mr Baker had been targeted at his home by two people on December 2, one of whom returned to Baker's property on December 6.
There is likely to be a link between these previous incidents and Baker's death, Detective Inspector Pascoe said.
Neither of the incidents were reported to police by Baker.
READ MORE: Stolen wallet, car key, could help police find who killed Auckland man Shannon Baker
"Mr Baker has described this person to his friends and associates, he’s talked about the same person coming back," Detective Inspector Pascoe said though he would not describe the man.
"We don’t know if he (Baker) knew the offenders who were responsible for his death and we don’t believe that there was any previous link between Mr Baker and the offenders who turned up at his address on the 2nd of December."
On December 2, the offenders stole Baker’s wallet, a Hugo Boss-branded wallet made of brown leather and possibly adorned with a blue stripe while the key for his Mercedes car was taken on the night of his death.
Detective Inspector Pascoe would not rule out the involvement of gangs or drugs in Baker's murder.
Anyone who saw anything on Calgary St on December 2, 6 or the night of the 10th or anyone who has seen the wallet or car key is urged to contact police on 0800 EPOPEUS (0800 376 7387) or by email . You can also contact Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111.
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