Two "brave" Aucklanders who chased a thief trying to make a getaway have been praised by police for their quick thinking.
The 40-year-old offender went into a west Auckland dairy earlier in January and demanded money from one of the owners who was working behind the counter. The man then walked behind the counter to the cash register and "took a large sum", police say.
Luckily, the owner quickly managed to activate the anti-theft smoke cannon and the man fled the shop.
Two members of the public saw what happened and chased the man, caught him, and made sure he couldn't leave until police arrived. Once police arrived, he was arrested and taken into custody.
"Thanks to the brave and quick actions of these members of the public ... an offender who was trying to make a getaway after stealing money from a Henderson dairy was stopped and swiftly arrested," police said on Facebook.
The man was charged with theft and was due to appear in the Waitakere District Court last week, police say.
The stolen money was returned to the dairy owners who say they're grateful to those who stepped in to help.
