Circumstances of man's death still unknown despite presence of closed circuit cameras
Thursday, 25 February 2021
Nine days after a man's body was found in a prominent park in Palmerston North, the circumstances of his death remain a mystery.
This is despite Te Marae o Hine/The Square being populated with CCTV cameras.
The body of Owen Charles Wildbore-Brumby, 40, was found in a garden near a duck pond on February 16 by a passerby.
Friends of Wildbore-Brumby, a street person known to many, continue to leave tributes and hold vigils, amid fears he was the victim of an assault.
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Police were aware of such speculation, but the cause of death was still being investigated, Detective Carl Newton, acting CIB Supervisor, said on Thursday.
Wildbore-Brumby's death was being treated as unknown while police awaited autopsy results.
There are 16 CCTV cameras around Te Marae o Hine, owned and operated by Palmerston North City Council, but there are concerns for their reliability.
Police have confirmed two cameras were faulty around the time Wildbore-Brumby’s body was found.
Sandra Taki, a friend of Wildbore-Brumby, said those close to him were tired of the lack of action from police and they were conducting their own investigation.
“Police won’t do anything about it, so our people are going to do it. There’s been no justice for Owen, that’s why they’re like that.”
She questioned why security camera footage hadn't proved helpful to the case and whether the community should feel safe in the park.
“They should get those cameras back on because there's a lot of stuff happening in Palmy, and they don't see it.”
Nola Te Papa, a friend of Wildbore-Brumby, said she was disgusted with the lack of communication from authorities.
“He's a household name. Everyone's talking about him in different ideas of what happened.”
Newton said he was aware of rumours spreading about the city, but he urged people to leave the investigation in police hands.
“Please don't speculate and don’t take matters into your own hands. If anyone has information they should speak to us about it.”
Anyone who may have seen Wildbore-Brumby on Saturday evening, February 13, through until his body was discovered near the duck pond at noon on Tuesday, February 16, should speak to police.
“Owen was a well known personality in Palmerston North, people would have seen him.”
Some people had come forward with information, but the more people who came forward the better police could account for his final moments.
Newton said the wider area of Te Marae o Hine was covered by CCTV, but would not confirm if footage of the garden where Wildbore-Brumby's body was found was available for review.
Jason McDowell, the council’s head of risk and resilience, said two cameras were found to have “operational issues” and were being repaired.
He would not identify which of the cameras weren't working, not wanting people to take advantage of the black spot.
The CCTV network had earlier proven unhelpful when over $100,000 damage was caused to the park's clock tower by vandals in September 2020. No footage was released and no arrests were made.
McDowell said the council was working with contractors to ensure the cameras were maintained to protect and assure the community of their safety.
After enquiries from Stuff, police issued a statement on Thursday afternoon seeking assistance from the public.
Anyone with information pertinent to the case is encouraged to phone 105 and quote file number 210217/3172, or call Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111.