Police arresting an accused shoplifter in East Auckland got more than they bargained for – as a second person brazenly trying to sneak out with stolen goods.
An officer was called after a suspected shoplifter attempted to leave a supermarket in Botany Downs yesterday afternoon.
"A search of her vehicle located a number of items, which we believe had also been stolen from several other stores at Botany," Senior Sergeant Simon Cornish said.
Further inquiries revealed the woman had allegedly taken items valued at more than $1000 from homeware stores.
While the officer was making inquiries at one of the retail stores, another woman attempted to leave the shop with more than $700 worth of items she hadn’t paid for.
"Safe to say she was arrested on the spot," Cornish said.
It was the second such shoplifting attempt ending in multiple arrests in Auckland over the past week.
On April 20, three men were spotted filling their backpacks with alcohol and meat from a supermarket on Auckland's North Shore. While officers and store security were attending to the incident, a fourth, unrelated shoplifter tried to make off with with a stolen haul.
Cornish advised retailers to "stay vigilant, and to report any behaviour that looks suspicious".
"And to anyone considering shoplifting, police will continue to take every opportunity to identify and prosecute those involved in this offending."
A 41-year-old woman was due to appear in the Manukau District Court on Thursday charged with six counts of shoplifting.
A 36-year-old woman would appear on the same date charged with one count of shoplifting.
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