Rotorua shoplifter admits reversing over supermarket worker causing serious injuries

Pāpāmoa Pak'nSave. Photo / File

A repeat Rotorua shoplifter who stole hundreds of dollars of food from a supermarket reversed her car at speed over a store worker who was trying to get the stolen food from the boot of the thief's car.

The Pak'nSave staff member was seriously injured, suffering a broken pelvis and broken femur.

Lisa Doyle, 29, has appeared in the Rotorua District Court and pleaded guilty to five charges - wounding with intent to cause grievous bodily harm, careless driving and three counts of shoplifting items under $500.

A summary of facts has just been released to the Rotorua Daily Post detailing what happened.

On Friday, November 30 about 5.50pm, Doyle went to Pak'nSave Pāpāmoa on Domain Rd with an 11-year-old child and filled a trolley with groceries. She left the store making no attempt to pay.

Doyle started putting the items in the boot of her Nissan car in the carpark but was spotted by two employees who followed her and tried to take the items out of the boot, the summary said.

Doyle got into the driver's seat and the child in the passenger's seat. Doyle then reversed her vehicle at speed, hitting one of the staff members with the rear of the vehicle forcing her to fall on the ground. She narrowly missed the second staff member, the summary said.

Doyle then continued to reverse over the staff member on the ground and only stopped when she collided with a parked car. Doyle drove forward at speed and collided with another parked car. She then sped off from the scene, the summary said.

The injured store work suffered a broken pelvis and broken femur and would need surgery. She faces a lengthy recovery, the summary said.

The total value of groceries she stole is unknown but the items recovered by the staff were worth $238.14, the summary said.

Two days later on Sunday December 2, Doyle went to Mitre 10 Mega at Trade Central in Rotorua and took four axes into the store's garden area and slid them under a wire fence.

Doyle then went outside and collected the axes and put them in her Nissan car.

The axes had a combined value of $334.92.

On the same day, she went to Bed, Bath and Beyond, also at Trade Central, and walked around the store putting items in her handbag, the summary said.

She then left the store making no attempt to pay. The items were valued at $256.

She was found by police a short distance from Amohau St and the property from Mitre 10 Mega and Bed, Bath and Beyond was recovered.

Doyle has been remanded in custody and will be sentenced on March 15.