Photo: RNZ / Richard Tindiller
Police have arrested five youths and recovered about $5000 worth of stolen property following a flurry of thefts in Palmerston North on Friday.
The first target was Farmers in The Plaza shopping mall and Rebel Sport was hit "moments later", police said.
Just after midday on Friday police received reports a group of people had stolen about $3000 worth of products from Farmers, Manawatū Area Commander Inspector Ross Grantham said.
Security cameras then picked up the same group in Rebel Sport on Rangitikei Street
They're alleged to have stolen $2000 in products.
"A member of the public saw the group heading back towards The Square, and alerted police," Grantham said.
They were arrested about half an hour after the first theft.
The group will appear in the Palmerston North Youth Court on Tuesday, facing shoplifting charges.
"The recovered property has been returned to the stores from which it was taken," Grantham said.
"Retail crime costs everyone and has real effects on the hard-working members of the retail community, and their customers."
