Police are investigating if there is any link between robberies in Waihi and Katikati and the death of Paeroa pizza shop owner Jordan Voudouris.
Mr Voudouris's body was found in an alley leading to his Mykonos Pizza and Pasta business in the Waikato town.
Detective Senior Sergeant Mike Whitehead said police and ambulance staff were called shortly after 6am.
"On arrival it was established a male, believed to be aged 57, had died.
"At this stage we believe the man is linked to a nearby business and this will be confirmed as the identification process is completed."
Tributes flowed on the pizza shop's Facebook page on Monday.
"You were a hard working man and a big contribution to this community," wrote Dennis Kuhn.
"You made real pizza".
Residents left flowers outside the shop and other businesses in the town put up messages expressing sympathy outside their stores.
The death would be treated as suspicious until there was information otherwise, Det Sen Sgt Whitehead said.
"There appears to be the possibility of some trauma but we won't know that until the post-mortem is done," he said.
"We had an attempted aggravated robbery at Waihi and what I believe is a robbery at Katikati," he said.
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