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By Chris Harrowell, Eastern Times
Police have arrested two people following an incident that saw a store’s workers confront a group after they allegedly tried to steal items from the business.
Three videos of the incident, which happened at Smart Supermarket on Ti Rakau Drive in Botany last Friday, were shared to a local community social media page.
The videos show a verbal and physical altercation occurring outside the adjacent Harvey Norman retail store.
About half a dozen workers from the Smart Supermarket store are speaking to a group of three adults, one of whom is a woman holding a baby in her left arm while holding onto a shopping trolley with her right hand.
The workers appear to be trying to take items out of the hands of a large male in the group.
The woman holding the baby at one point takes out a mobile phone and begins filming the incident.
A female worker from the supermarket then takes out a phone and begins filming the woman who’s holding the baby.
The large male in the group is seen grappling with a male worker from the supermarket.
One female worker from the supermarket appears to have a bundle of items tucked into her orange apron while a co-worker is holding items as they walk back toward the store.
A male worker says something to the large male, who shoves the worker with both hands.
The younger woman in the group and the large male, whose shorts are falling down, try to enter the supermarket but are stopped at the entrance by staff.
Many of the more than 100 comments on the post about the incident are critical of the actions of the three adults, with some saying the woman holding the baby should be investigated by the authorities and the trio should be embarrassed and ashamed.
Counties Manukau East Police area response manager, senior sergeant Pete Kaveney, says at about 4.44pm on Friday, September 26, police responded to reports of shoplifting and fighting at a local supermarket on Ti Rakau Drive.
“Police arrested a 27-year-old man and a woman, also 27, shortly after arriving at the store at 4.49pm.
“They will be appearing in the Manukau District Court this week. One staff member sustained minor injuries.
“Police are determined to ensure the safety of shop owners going about their daily business and can be reassured we will respond quickly to unfortunate incidents of this nature.”
