Two alleged prolific shoplifters accused of stealing more than $250,000 worth of goods have appeared in court following their arrest by a newly launched police unit targeting retail crime in Auckland.
The pair—a 37-year-old man and a 28-year-old woman—were apprehended within hours of the Tactical Retail Crime Unit beginning operations earlier this week. Both have been remanded in custody and are due to reappear in Auckland District Court on 29 and 30 July respectively. The man faces five charges of shoplifting, while the woman faces nine counts of shoplifting along with burglary charges. Police say further charges are being considered.
The arrests come as part of a renewed focus by Auckland City West Police on tackling the growing problem of retail theft. The newly formed Tactical Retail Crime Unit is tasked specifically with identifying and apprehending repeat offenders across suburbs including Mt Roskill, Mt Albert, Avondale, Pt Chevalier, and Ponsonby.
Auckland City West Area Prevention Manager Inspector Wayne Kitcher said the new team had already made a significant impact.
“Between them, these two individuals are alleged to have caused over $250,000 in losses to retailers, targeting high-value items across multiple stores,” he said. “This is organised, repeat offending that places enormous strain on businesses.”
Inspector Kitcher said the arrests send a strong message that police are actively cracking down on retail theft.
“Retail crime is not a victimless crime—it’s costing New Zealand retailers an estimated $2.6 billion each year. We won’t tolerate this type of behaviour, and those who engage in it can expect to be held to account.”
He urged retailers to continue reporting incidents of theft to police.
“Reporting offences is critical. It helps us identify patterns and offenders, build cases, and ultimately bring these people before the courts.”
The Tactical Retail Crime Unit is part of a wider Police effort to curb the growing number of retail crimes reported over the past 18 months.
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