Two women are facing 29 theft charges as part of ongoing investigations into reported theft at Auckland supermarkets.

It is alleged the women have been responsible for upwards of $40,000 in product being stolen over the past two months.

The two women aged 22 and 26 have been remanded in custody.

The Auckland City District Prevention Team consisting of recently graduated Constables and Field Training Officers made the arrests late last week, with the National Retail Investigation Support Unit linking alleged offending at supermarkets across Tāmaki Makaurau.

Officers saw a vehicle driving with a smashed rear windscreen and when the vehicle was stopped, they recognised the females inside as offenders wanted in relation to numerous shoplifting incidents. They were taken into custody without incident. 

“The arrests were a result of a great coordinated response from our frontline staff and investigators, holding these high-volume offenders to account and preventing further victimisation,” says District Training and Professional Development Manager, Senior Sergeant Guy Baldwin.

NRISU Manager, Matt Tierney, says each offender targeted a range of products in the alleged offending.

“Investigators on the NRISU continue to collate a number of reported incidents so that Police can locate and apprehend those offenders.

“In total, the NRISU has charged 289 offenders with 1,583 charges since it began service in November 2021.

“We will continue to target recidivist retail offending in partnership with our Police colleagues to hold those responsible to account.

"We'd like to thank retailers and the community for alerting Police to many of these offences.”

The two women will appear in the Auckland District Court later this month.

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