Two groups of alleged 'shoulder surfers' will be appearing at separate Auckland courts tomorrow after allegedly fleecing their elderly victims of tens of thousands of dollars.
Noel Karora, 37, was arrested in Auckland on Monday, and charged with burglaries in Dunedin, Invercargill and Auckland over cases of so-called shoulder surfing-- where the offenders watch a victim enter their Eftpos pin number and later steal the card.
Karora is due to appear at Waitakere District Court tomorrow. His co-accused Paul Tipene is still at large.
"Unfortunately, they are pretty good at what they do," Invercargill Detective Sergeant Stu Harvey told the Otago Daily Times earlier this year.
he said the total value of thefts linked to the pair was "into the tens of thousands of dollars, easily".
Mr Harvey told NZME. the pair's alleged shoulder surfing was a very specific way of operating and not a common type of offending.
"However, we have real concerns that Mr Tipene will be continuing this type of offending in the busier retail period up until Christmas, and targeting elderly people."
Four alleged shoulder surfers from South Auckland are also due to appear at North Shore District Court tomorrow.
