Canterbury Metro Commander Superintendent Lane Todd:

Police have arrested a 46-year-old woman in relation to alleged prolific shoplifting around the Christchurch area.

She has three warrants for her arrest relating to 18 active charges. A further 64 charges have been laid against her, of which 40 are burglaries. All charges are in relation to retail crime.

It is alleged that in one of the shoplifting instances, she stole approximately $400 worth of chocolate.

A number of trespass notices were also issued over the time of her alleged offending, dating back as early as April 2024.

This is the second alleged prolific shoplifter caught by Police in as many weeks, after a 50-year-old man was arrested on Friday 23 August.

Police acknowledge the strain this type of offending has on local businesses, and the help of CCTV footage provided by impacted stores assisted us in making this arrest.

This behaviour will not be tolerated by Police, and we encourage retailers to continue to report suspicious activity.

Shoplifters may work as individuals or as part of a group and suspicious behaviour staff should be wary of may include:

• Shoppers who spend a lot of time watching staff or looking at security measures in place

• Those entering and exiting the shop without buying anything

• Multiple people in a dressing room

• Shoppers with bulky clothing or bags that can easily hide stolen products

CCTV footage provided through Auror will be followed up by the team of Police dedicated to investigating and preventing offending against retailers.

The 46-year-old is due to reappear in the Christchurch District Court on 25 September.

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