Thai pair demand refund for products that won't fit

A couple will appear in court after they allegedly refused to leave a pharmacy when staff wouldn't give them a refund for purchases that didn't fit in their suitcase. Photo / Thinkstock

A Thai couple were charged with trespass after refusing to leave a Queenstown pharmacy when staff wouldn't give them a refund for purchases that wouldn't fit in their suitcase.

The 50-year-old man and 35-year-old woman bought $430 worth of products, including soaps and hand creams, from the store about 8pm on Sunday.

They returned to the pharmacy an hour later, asking staff for a refund because they "could not fit it all in their suitcases", Sergeant Steve Watt, of Queenstown, said.

The couple then attempted to "barter and negotiate their purchases".

"Pharmacy staff were quite accommodating and took back some of the larger items, but things turned quite ugly and abusive when the whole lot wasn't taken back."

Police were called by the pharmacy staff and four officers asked the pair a number of times to leave, Mr Watt said.

"They were shown a pair of handcuffs, refused to leave and subsequently were asked to leave again."

A language difficulty may have been a factor, although the pair had understood well enough to outline their problems regarding potential refunds, he said.

The couple will appear in the Queenstown District Court in two weeks.