Lawyer accused of taking groceries

A Crown prosecutor was arrested and charged with shoplifting this week after she allegedly stole about $200 worth of food from a supermarket during a break in the court case she was working on.

The woman was arrested at a supermarket just after 11am on Tuesday.

It is understood the woman was prosecuting a District Court case and went to the supermarket during an adjournment.

She was allegedly caught by supermarket staff as she left the store with just under $200 of food she had not paid for. The source said she did not have a trolley but could not say where she stashed the food or what exactly she took.

Police were called and the woman was arrested on site and later charged with shoplifting items under the value of $500.

The officers in charge of the case refused to comment on the circumstances as it was before the courts.

The Weekend Herald has chosen not to name the woman, as she is believed to be struggling with "personal" health and/or medical issues.

She works for law firm Meredith Connell, which holds the Crown Warrant in the Auckland region, meaning they are charged with prosecuting all indictable crimes in the High Court and district courts in the city.

Police work closely with Crown prosecutors, but the source said despite this they had to treat the lawyer as they would anyone else allegedly caught stealing.

"Obviously, they can't give them any special treatment."

A person known to the lawyer said the arrest would push her to address her issues.

The person said the priority for all concerned with her case was getting her the best help available for her issues, for which she needed space and professional care.

Court records show the woman is due to appear in a district court in the Auckland area this week. Staff at that court would not comment on the case, nor could they confirm what case the woman was working on when she was arrested.

"She is in a difficult place at the moment, and it's nothing of her own doing," the source said.

According to the Retailers Association shop theft was estimated to cost retailers about $800 million a year.