'I think New Zealand has a problem' after mall stabbing - security boss

A security guard who was stabbed in the neck while working at a popular Auckland shopping hub is said to be recovering well after surgery.

The incident happened when the guard approached a man near the Westfield Newmarket about 2:30pm Thursday following an earlier incident and the man allegedly pulled out a knife.

A 24-year-old has been charged with aggravated wounding.

Newmarket Business Association chief executive Mark Knoff-Thomas, the guard's employer, told Checkpoint the victim was "an amazing guy" and the stabbing was the "worst day of my career".

"He's recovering well, he's still in hospital. He's got a fairly large bit of pain in his neck still where the knife entered his body and he's lost some feelings in one of his fingers in one of his hands where there's maybe some potential nerve damage.

"But he's in good spirits and he's doing well. He's an amazing guy."

Knoff-Thomas said he was "stunned" by the incident.

"He's not just one of my staff, he's actually my colleague, my friend, and somebody who we love dearly. When it happens to somebody you're close to, it's just absolutely horrific.

"Worst day of my career, yesterday, and his too, no doubt."

The alleged offender had been previously noticed and trespassed for behaving erratically, Knoff-Thomas said.

People are trespassed from stores by security staff on a regular basis in Newmarket, which can be intimidating for retail staff to deal with.

Reasons for trespass can include threatening behaviour or shoplifting.

"There is a certain threshold - a lot of people will get a warning.

"But if they're becoming a bit more of a prolific or recidivist offender then they will get trespassed and we have a two-year trespass ban."

The victim was stabbed when he tackled the offender, who police were also chasing.

"I'm just so relieved that we didn't have a much worse outcome than what happened.

"This is an isolated incident, I want to be really clear about that."

There has been an increase in violent encounters at shops, ram-raids and attacks on bus drivers in Auckland.

"I think New Zealand has a problem," Knoff-Thomas said. "Our knife problem is getting out of hand."

He worries that New Zealand is following in the footsteps of the UK, which has a serious knife problem.

The guard on Thursday handled the situation with textbook behaviour and there was nothing that really could have been done differently, he said.

"It was a very, very quick fast-moving event, and I'm just so grateful that the police were there. Within two seconds the police were right there, right behind the offender."

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