Police investigating the sudden death of Paeroa businessman Jordan Voudouris have released details about a robbery and an attempted robbery in nearby towns yesterday.
A post-mortem examination today is expected to shed light on how Mr Voudouris, 57, died.
His body was found yesterday morning in a driveway on Hall St.
Waikato Police investigating the sudden death say they are "keeping an open mind" to links with an attempted robbery of the Mobil service station at Waihi and the robbery of a Katikati dairy a short time later.
Detective Senior Sergeant Mike Whitehead said a female attendant at the Mobil was assaulted by three men trying to rob the store about 6am yesterday.
He said one offender was armed with a pistol while another held "an unknown object".
The trio fled empty-handed.
A short time later the Park Rd dairy in Katikati was held up by two men who were armed with a pistol and a hammer.
"CCTV footage from both businesses indicates these were the same offenders for both robberies," Mr Whitehead, the rural field crime supervisor, said.
"In both robberies no vehicle was seen, however we believe, given the timings, they would have had a vehicle parked nearby."
Detectives want to speak with anyone who may have noticed a car parked near the Mobil service station about 6am, saw "erratic" driving on State Highway 2 between Waihi and Katikati, or a vehicle parked near the Park Rd dairy about 6.20am.
Mr Whitehead made an appeal to the robbers from Waihi and Katikati to surrender themselves to police "for your own and the public's safety".
Anyone with information about Mr Voudouris' death should call Paeroa police on 07 862 8744.
Information on the robberies can be phoned through to Waihi police on 07 863 8179 or Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111.
