Three security guards contracted to South Auckland Pak’nSave arrested over alleged extortion attempts

• Three security guards contracted to a South Auckland Pak’nSave have been arrested for alleged extortion attempts.
• Five victims reported the guards, leading to charges including demands with intent and obtaining by deception.
• One victim earlier told the Herald the guards demanded she pay $395 or be trespassed from the store after she was accused of shoplifitng.

Three security guards contracted to a South Auckland supermarket have been arrested following complaints of alleged extortion attempts.

Detective Senior Sergeant Kevin Tiernan of the Counties Manukau Central CIB said five victims had filed complaints over the alleged behaviour by external security contractors at Pak’nSave Manukau.

“Inquiries have been carried out since the first report was made to police in late January, culminating in the arrests being made today,” Tiernan said.

Two men – aged 23 and 39 – and a 19-year-old woman are set to appear in the Manukau District Court on March 26.

“All three charged face a variety of charges including demands with intent and obtains by deception,” Tiernan said.

“A charge of demands with intent carries a maximum penalty of seven years’ imprisonment under the Crimes Act.”

Tiernan acknowledged the victims who came forward to assist with the police investigation.

One alleged victim this afternoon said she had not heard anything from police for a few days but was happy arrests had been made.

A Foodstuffs spokesperson this afternoon told the Herald it would be “inappropriate to comment on matters that are before the courts”.

Last month, the Herald reported an alleged extortion attempt by the security guards on a female shopper in late January.

The shopper, originally from China, said she was accused of attempted shoplifting and stood over by security guards at Pak’nSave Manukau, who demanded she pay $395 or be trespassed from the store on January 25.

She said a male security guard at the supermarket told her to accompany him to an office, where a female security guard was already present.

“Then they asked me to sit down and close the door.”

She said as the guards accused her of wrongdoing, she asked to see CCTV footage, but they initially refused to show her.

The shopper, 36, said the male guard also berated her.

“He said, ‘If you don’t follow the rules you will be facing more fines’.”

At the time, Foodstuffs said it had apologised to the 36-year-old woman and was investigating.

“Our stores are independently owned and operated, and each has its own policies and processes for hiring and managing security staff,” a Foodstuffs spokesman said.

“Store owners have the discretion to choose their own security providers based on their individual needs and circumstances.”