A woman has been arrested in Auckland’s Papakura after being found with a dozen boxes of scorched almonds allegedly stolen from a supermarket.
Police found the woman, who was riding a bike, shortly after 5pm last night.
She had been wanted for arrest after committing “multiple” alleged shoplifting offences.
“On seeing police, she ditched the bike and started to run, but we eventually took her into custody and located 12 boxes of scorched almonds in her possession,” Inspector Matt Hoyes said.
“These were confirmed as stolen from a supermarket in Papakura about five minutes earlier.”
The 25-year-old woman was scheduled to appear at the Papakura District Court today, charged with 20 shoplifting charges.
This morning, Foodstuffs North Island told 1News retail crime at its stores had more than doubled in the past two years.
Also yesterday, a 45-year-old woman was arrested in Papakura after police were called to a supermarket on East Street.
“A shoplifter had taken an amount of meat products and left the store,” Hoyes said. “Our staff located her nearby about 20 minutes later and took her into custody. She had a warrant to arrest for an incident in Papakura last month, where a person was allegedly assaulted and money stolen.”
The woman was due to appear in the Papakura District Court today on burglary, assault, shoplifting and bail charges.
Shortly before 10pm, another woman, again in Papakura, was arrested after allegedly walking out of a supermarket with several unpaid items.
“While the offender had left the store, our staff were quickly on scene and located her inside a parked vehicle nearby.
“The stolen items were located inside and recovered. She was taken into custody without further incident,” Hoyes said.
The 42-year-old will appear in the Papakura District Court tomorrow, facing four charges of shoplifting.
“These brazen acts are a blight on our community, and we will do everything in our power to hold those who behave in this manner to account,” Hoyes said.