Two South Auckland women have been accused of shoplifting immediately after they left court where they had fronted on theft charges.
Police allege the women tried stealing $1800 worth of goods from a shop as soon as they left the Pukekohe District Court on Tuesday.
Police are also looking for another woman involved.
Senior Sergeant Mary Jane Riddle accused the trio of stealing a number plate off a car parked outside the courthouse.
“They then travelled to several shops in Pukekohe, where they are alleged to have stolen hundreds of dollars worth of items,” Riddle said.
Officers received a callout, began searching for the alleged offenders, and found a vehicle with the stolen number plate outside a shop.
Police found two women inside the automotive parts shop allegedly trying to steal merchandise.
Riddle said: “The women had been prevented from stealing about $1,800 worth of items from this store.
“We’d like to thank those people at the affected stores in Pukekohe who reported the offending to police so quickly, allowing us to make the arrests,” she says.
“We were also able to locate and recover several stolen items inside their vehicle.”
A 29-year-old woman will go back to the Pukekohe District Court on two new shoplifting charges. An 18-year-old woman will appear in the same court on December 4 on four new shoplifting charges.
“Offending like this is a blight in our community and we’re very happy to have these two alleged offenders being held to account for their actions,” Riddle said.
Raphael Franks is an Auckland-based reporter who covers breaking news. He joined the Herald as a Te Rito cadet in 2022.
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The 19-year-old disappeared without her wallet or mobile phone.