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Chris McKeen/Stuff
Two men and a woman are due to appear in Manukau District Court after a group was allegedly filling trolleys with goods, then leaving without paying.
Police say they have arrested members of a group allegedly filling trolleys with goods then leaving without paying from stores in Botany Town Centre, east Auckland.
Police were called at about 4pm on Monday to the alleged theft, after a security guard followed the group through the mall, searched their bags and stolen items were found, Counties Manukau east area prevention manager Inspector Rakana Cook said.
“A machete and an axe were also recovered from the bag,” he said.
“The group was escorted off site and police were quickly notified.”
The group went to a nearby store, where they loaded up trolleys and left without paying, through a backdoor.
Group members made their way down Chapel Rd, where police quickly took them into custody without incident, Cook said.
The stolen items had been recovered and returned to the stores they came from.
“This is an example of excellent police work in action,” Cook said.
“Coordinated and clever policing meant we were able to arrest all offenders quickly – that’s an excellent result.”
Two men, aged 26 and 24, will appear in Manukau District Court on Tuesday charged with shoplifting.
A woman, 18, will appear in court later this week, and one other person has been referred to Youth Aid Services, police said.
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