Whaiora Galvin posed as a doctor, courier to steal thousands in groceries and products

Whaiora Galvin wore a stethoscope around his neck and told supermarket staff he wanted gift cards for his "practice". Photo / NZME

A man who dressed up as a courier and feigned being a doctor tricked supermarkets and retailers out of thousands of dollars’ worth of products for more than a year.

Whaiora Galvin wore a stethoscope around his neck while he stole groceries and Prezzy cards from a supermarket, telling staff the gift cards were for his “doctor’s practice”.

He also posed as a courier, picking up considerable amounts of clothing, shoes and watches from unsuspecting businesses.

Court documents show Galvin, 33, also targetted car parts dealers and repair shops during his crime spree, which he undertook in Auckland and Tauranga.

In July 2022, Whaiora phoned an apparel store in Tauranga claiming there was a delivery error and someone would be coming to pick up the boxes that were meant for another location.

He showed up later, wearing a yellow high-vis top on top of black clothing and shoes, a black beanie and a face mask.

He borrowed a trolley from the shop, loaded the boxes into it, and returned the trolley before driving off.

The following month, he did the same at a watch store and got away with $5000 worth of Nixon watches.

He tried again at a games store the same day, pretending to be calling from the head office of a supplier claiming there has been an urgent recall of Nintendo Switch consoles that needed to be sent back to Australia.

Not fooled, the game store manager refused to release the stock until she had a tracking number from the head office.

In October, Galvin went to a Countdown supermarket in Tauranga wearing a stethoscope around his neck while he loaded up a shopping trolley with groceries, beer and wine.

He went to a staff member at the self-serve checkout and asked for Prezzy cards, saying they were for his doctor’s practice.

When asked if he had paid for his groceries, he said he didn’t have a receipt but had paid at another counter, pointing to another attendant.

He then said he was going out to get his work charge card from his car and would return to pay for the gift cards, but never came back.

A lengthy summary of facts showed he did the same thing a further two times at another Countdown.

He also cheated dozens of automotive retailers in Tauranga and Auckland of valuable goods and services, including driving off with a $28,000 BMW when doing a test drive.

He pleaded guilty to more than 60 dishonesty charges at the Waitākere District Court earlier this month. The charge sheet was so long that the judge agreed they would not be read out one by one.

Galvin’s pleas were instead entered through his lawyer John van der Zanden.

“There must be an underlying issue,” Judge Ophir Cassidy said. “Drugs?” she asked Galvin, to which he nodded.

She said his offending was not fair to the numerous victims, and his family and children, who deserved to grow up with a father and role model.

“You’re going to have to dig deep to get the help you so desperately need,” Judge Cassidy said.

Galvin is due back in court for sentencing in July.