Human remains came from Safe Store Papatoetoe after storage unit auction

The boss of an Auckland storage unit company has confirmed the business is co-operating with police in relation to a grisly homicide investigation.

Police launched a murder probe after human remains were discovered on Thursday at a Clendon Park house. The house’s residents had unwittingly brought the remains home from a storage unit auction. The residents were not thought to be involved, police said.

A director of Safe Store Ltd, who didn’t want to be named, confirmed the company was co-operating with the police investigation after the remains were taken from its Papatoetoe location.

“We won’t say anything because it is under police investigation, and we are co-operating with police,” the director said.

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Safe Store Papatoetoe contains dozens of storage units, which the company’s website says can be used for “personal and business self-storage needs”.

The company says its three storage facilities – Papatoetoe, Westgate and Pakuranga – have PIN code access, round-the-clock video surveillance, security lighting and high fences.

Do you know more? Email james.halpin@stuff.co.nz or SMS / Signal +64 021 224 1061

Safe Store Papatoetoe is next to a Hirepool facility. On Friday, a Hirepool trailer could be seen at the Clendon Park property.

Police have remained tight-lipped around the murder investigation, and it remains unknown who the victims are, or how many there are.

A neighbour said the remains were brought back to the property on the trailer before whatever was containing them was opened, releasing what they described as a “wicked smell” that could be detected from next door.

As a former worker at Manukau crematorium, the neighbour recognised the smell as that of a body.

“I knew straight away, and I thought, ‘Where is that coming from?’” he said.

Police arrived soon after, and a hearse had been at the property, he said.

Another neighbour said her son had seen a suitcase being removed from the trailer, before the occupants of the house stood back in shock.

On Monday, a family member at the centre of the discovery said they had been told by police not to talk to media and they had been offered victim support.