Thieves prompt Pak'nSave to ditch baskets

Hundreds of baskets have been stolen from Pak'nSave Palmerston North.

Hundreds of baskets have been stolen from Pak'nSave in Palmerston North - and it appears some thieves are making their getaways on mobility scooters.

Nearly 200 shopping baskets have been taken and the supermarket has now decided to no longer keep them in store.

Manager Jeff Cruickshank confirmed shopping baskets have been disappearing for years.

"As a result, we now ask customers doing small shops to use one of our smaller trolleys that are available as they enter the store."

He said the Ferguson St store wasn't sure why shoppers took the baskets but suggested it could be "down to simple dishonesty" or whether people prefer the baskets to using their own boxes or bags. Pak'nSave is known for leaving customers to pack their own groceries.

A staff member spoken to this week, who wished to remain anonymous, said mobility scooter users had been noticed turning up to do their shopping with New World baskets.

The staff member said when customers were asked to place the baskets beside the counter when finished, they would become defensive or upset.

"They become really aggro and say they are just taking it to the car. One day I was coming to work and I saw a guy washing his windows - using a Pak'nSave basket to hold the products in."

A spokesman from Melody's New World in Broadway Ave said the odd basket had gone missing, but were unsure of the numbers.

"It's not a noticeable issue."