Shoplifting now only gets a warning!

The Herald reports:

Just hours before New Zealand’s four-week coronavirus lockdown, a woman was seen allegedly stuffing her bag with groceries from Fresh Choice in Ōtāhuhu on Wednesday.

In footage obtained by the Herald, staff members were seen confronting the woman before the altercation turned physical.

While she was confronted, the woman, who was wearing a mask, can be heard shouting: “Get out of my way … you’re not allowed to. You’re not allowed to touch me and you’re not even allowed that close, bro. You cant touch me bro.”

A staff member requested the woman open her handbag before a tug-of-war broke out where both the woman and two staff members wrestled over the bag.

“Show me! Open your bag,” the Fresh Choice worker was heard saying before the alleged shoplifter shouted: “Get your hand off my bag. It’s got my f**king wallet in it. Excuse me, get the f**k out my bag.”

During the altercation, a block of cheese fell out of the woman’s bag.

A Fresh Choice worker then demanded the woman to take items of meat out of her bag.

During the incident an employee wearing a hi-vis vest helped block the woman from leaving the store and assisted in trying to wrestle the bag off her.

The alleged shoplifter was seen climbing over boxes of fizzy drink in a bid to leave the store.

Staff members then blocked her again and demanded she empty her bag.

The woman attempted dash for the door, only to find it had been locked. She then shouted “don’t touch me” before the door was opened. She then ran away.

So she not only was a shoplifter (thief), she also physically resisted emptying her bag, and fled the scene of the crime.

And what did the Police do?

“Police located the woman a short time later. The stolen items were located and returned to the store.

“The woman was arrested and received a warning for shoplifting.”

Incredible.