New details of former Green MP Golriz Ghahraman's shoplifting have come to light in a court document.
Ghahraman, 43, yesterday admitted four counts of shoplifting related to three incidents in Auckland and one in Wellington.
She entered the guilty pleas at the Auckland District Court and the agreed summary of facts was released to media this morning.
It outlines the theft of about $8917 in clothing – as well as the methods she used, the moment a store manager noticed an item was missing, and a car park confrontation with an employee at high-end Auckland store Scotties Boutique.
Her lawyer Annabel Cresswell argued yesterday her client had received "horrific" abuse since the shoplifting claims emerged and there were mental health issues to consider.
After resigning from politics in mid-January, Ghahraman said her mental health had been affected by the stresses of her job.
"It's not a behaviour I can explain because it's not rational in any way, and after medical evaluation, I understand I'm not well."
October 22 in the capital
The first incident occurred at about 3pm on October 22 last year in Wellington.
"Ms Ghahraman entered Cre8iveworx with a male associate," the document read.
The store has CCTV cameras covering "most of the interior spaces", the document adds.
"Ms Ghahraman removed a number of clothing garments from the display rack and took them into the changing rooms.
"One of the garments was a black Zambesi shirt, valued at $695."
She tried on a number of items and came out of the changing room several times to speak with the associate and browse.
"Whilst concealed behind the privacy curtain in the changing room, Ms Ghahraman placed the Zambesi shirt inside her clothing or bag.
"Ms Ghahraman then emerged from the changing room and purchased a pair of pants with her credit card at the counter.
"She left the Crea8iveworx store without making any attempt to pay for the Zambesi shirt."
The ex-MP admitted it was her in the CCTV footage but said she didn't remember taking the shirt.
December 21 in Auckland
The second admitted offence was on December 21 last year in Auckland, where $2060 worth of items were stolen.
Ghahraman went into Ponsonby retailer Scotties Boutique with two other people at about 3.47pm. The inside of the store is fitted with high-quality CCTV, the summary of facts notes.
"Ms Ghahraman was wearing a large tote bag over her right shoulder," the document explains.
"At around 4.03pm, Ms Ghahraman removed a black Acne Studios Single Breasted Coast from a display rack.
"The coat is the property of Scotties Boutique and is valued at $1900."
She also took a pair of black pants from another rack and went into the changing room, closing the privacy curtain behind her.
"Whilst concealed from view, Ms Ghahraman placed the coat inside her tote bag.
"When she opened the privacy curtain the coat was no longer visible.
"Ms Ghahraman then tried the pants on with the curtain open, before removing the pants and returning them to the display rack."
After that, she continued browsing, the tote bag slung over her shoulder.
And moments later, at about 4.09pm, she took a black Commes des Garcons wallet valued at $160 from a display cabinet.
"Ms Ghahraman held the wallet in her hand by her side and walked into a deserted area of the store," the summary of facts said.
"When she was outside the view of the store attendants, she surreptitiously placed the wallet inside her tote bag."
After browsing the store for a while longer, Ghahraman and her associates left.
"Ms Ghahraman made no attempt to pay for the coat and wallet she concealed inside her bag."
December 22 at a third store
At about 1.50pm the next day, Ghahraman went into Standard Issue alone – again with a tote bag, this time a large brown one.
She began talking to the store manager while browsing clothing on a display table, near the front of the store. She picked up a navy cardigan valued at $389.
"While the manager's attention was briefly diverted, Ms Ghahraman placed the cardigan inside her brown tote bag and promptly left the store," the court document reads. The manager "immediately" noticed the cardigan was missing when she left.
"Ms Ghahraman was the only customer inside the store at the time the cardigan was taken."
She declined to comment on this incident.
December 23, back at Scotties Boutique
The day after that, Ghahraman went back to Scotties Boutique alone at about 1.09pm. She had a large black tote bag and a smaller red satchel bag – and "immediately after entering the store", she took a large empty brown tote from inside the black one.
That day, she stole $5773 worth of items.
With the bags over her shoulders, she stopped at a display case and took a charcoal grey Bao Bao Issey Miyake Lucent bag worth $650. With the Issey Miyake bag, she went to another area of the store, "scanned her surroundings and surreptitiously placed the Issey Miyake bag into the red satchel bag hung over her shoulder".
Moments later, she took four garments – including a black Two Squares Simple Slip dress ($333) and a black Row Calanthe Dress ($4500) – and went behind the changing room curtain. There, she put both dresses into one of her bags.
Ghahraman then reopened the curtain, put another dress back on the rack and continued to browse, before taking a Lemaire Crepe Tank Top ($290) from the rack.
"Ms Ghahraman walked along the clothing rack while removing the clothing hanger from the top," the summary of facts explains.
"She placed the empty hanger between items on the display rack, bundled the top into a ball, and placed it inside her brown tote bag."
She browsed for a while longer before leaving, making "no attempt" to pay for the items concealed in her bags.
The former Green Party MP admitted four charges of shoplifting relating to stores in Auckland and Wellington. (Source: 1News)
But a store employee followed Ghahraman into the car park. They asked to check inside her bags.
"Ms Ghahraman refused to show the store employee the contents of her bags," the summary of facts reads.
"She returned briefly inside the store with the employee where she offered an explanation, pointing to a dress hung inside a coat as a reason for the misunderstanding. The employee accepted this explanation and allowed her to leave.
"At around 2.16pm an associate of Ms Ghahraman entered Scotties Boutique carrying Ms Ghahraman's brown tote bag. The associate spoke to the store employee and gave her the Row Calanthe dress, the Two Squares dress, and the Issey Miyake bag that Ms Ghahraman had stolen. The Lemaire Crepe Tank top was not returned."
The ex-MP admitted both incidents of shopping at Scotties Boutique.
What now?
Some items still haven't been recovered, including the shirt from Cre8iveworx and the cardigan from Standard Issue.
"Some of" the items stolen from Scotties have been recovered.
"A total of $2350 worth of clothing and accessories has not been returned or is unable to be resold due to its used condition."
Reperation to replace all stolen items is being sought.
For each of her two charges of shoplifting more than $1000 worth, she faces a maximum penalty of seven years in prison.
For the third charge (shoplifts $500-$1000) she faces a maximum penalty of a year in prison and for the fourth charge (shoplifts under $500) she faces a maximum penalty of three months imprisonment.
Ghahraman was remanded at large and will be sentenced on June 24.
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