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At least nine small business owners have been burgled following hoax phone calls telling them to leave work and pick up a large parcel from their nearest police station.
Police said shop owners are told the parcel is big and heavy and they need to bring any male staff members with them to help carry it.
When the shop owner leaves work to collect the parcel the premises is burgled of money, handbags, wallets and credit cards.
Police said small Asian-owned Auckland businesses like restaurants and takeaway food outlets are being targeted.
A male will usually pay the shop a visit, scoping out where the till is and how many people are working there before phoning them.
There have been four reported cases in central Auckland and five in Henderson.
Auckland police spokesperson Noreen Hegarty said there may be more cases and police are still trying to "co-ordinate the numbers".
She said they are hampered by the fact the burglaries are reported to police as individual complaints.
If contacted by someone making a similar claim, police advise business owners to ignore the caller's instructions and report it to police.
Police stations never accept parcels for collection by business operators.
