Man accused of attempted Costco theft claims staff discriminated against him

Joao Diniz, 21, came to New Zealand from Brazil last year and is upset after being accused by an Auckland Costco worker of attempted theft.

A young man from Brazil is struggling with anxiety after an incident in which he says he was falsely accused of trying to steal from an Auckland Costco worker while shopping there.

The 21-year-old, who has limited English, said when he tried to defend himself using his cellphone to translate, staff allegedly prevented him from using his phone, ignored his pleas of innocence, and kicked him out of the store. His membership was also cancelled.

Joao Diniz was at the giant American supermarket in West Auckland on Labour Day enjoying a day out with his mother, Adriana Silva, who is here to visit him for the first time since he moved to New Zealand a little over a year ago.

Diniz said the pair had been looking for a particular chocolate and approached a female employee to ask her where they could find it. As he turned away from her, he accidentally bumped into her, he told the Herald through an interpreter, family friend Marcia Santana.

“He gave her a fright and he said, ‘Ooh, I’m sorry’.”

Joao Diniz, 21, with his mum Adriana Silva, who was with her son at Costco when the incident happened.

“He bought the chocolate and some meat and then they went for a hot dog. As they were [there], a security guard approached him and took him to a little room.”

Diniz said another staff member, who he believed to be a manager, arrived soon afterwards and said he had seen security footage of the moment and accused him of trying to steal the woman’s cellphone. Diniz denies that, saying he had not even seen her with a cellphone.

He repeatedly tried to explain he could not express himself properly in English and needed to do so via translation on his phone.

‘It felt racist’

Santana said: “He was very frustrated because he wants to clear his name. Being falsely accused is not fun.”

Diniz returned to Costco twice this week – firstly with his older brother, who is also working in New Zealand and has a better grasp of English, and later with a family friend – in a bid to better explain his side of the story.

However, they were met with the same manager who refused to listen to them, he said.

Diniz said he felt discriminated against.

“It felt racist,” he said.

The incident happened on Labour Day at the Costco megastore in Westgate, West Auckland. Photo / Michael Craig

Police confirmed they received a report on Tuesday, October 29, of an incident that had happened the previous day about 10.40am.

“The report was that a man had attempted to steal a cellphone being worn at the waist by an employee. The cellphone was not taken,” a police spokeswoman said.

“Another store employee spoke with the man and escorted him from the premises. The matter has been assessed and police will not be taking further action on this occasion.”

Days after the incident, Diniz is struggling to sleep and has had to get medication from the doctor to help him sleep. His mother is also trying to extend her stay here to help support her son.

Joao Diniz pictured on the day he and his mother went shopping at Costco in West Auckland.

Santana said they, as family friends, vouched for the man’s integrity and said they knew him as a hardworking, kind and caring person.

“He can’t sleep. He was able to work on the first day – on Tuesday. But on Wednesday, he worked half a day and then [on Thursday] he didn’t go to work because he can’t sleep properly. His self-esteem is so low.

“His mum is visiting him and this has happened [in front of her]. He’s very upset.”

Santana explained that was another reason for the young man’s frustration, that his mother, who he has not seen for more than a year, was with him when the incident happened. He felt ashamed and embarrassed.

Speaking in his own words, Diniz said: “My mum is my life.”

The Costco Wholesale central marketing team, based in Australia, did not wish to comment when approached by the Herald.

Sign up to The Daily H, a free newsletter curated by our editors and delivered straight to your inbox every weekday.