Two women have been charged after allegedly trying to take just under $1000 worth of groceries from a Henderson supermarket on Sunday afternoon.

Sergeant Rachael England said the Henderson beat team was patrolling when supermarket staff alerted them to offending in progress. Officers arrested the pair a short distance from the store.

Police say the women had a receipt for just under $160 in goods, but further items found in the vehicle’s boot required inspection. “They had allegedly tried to steal just shy of $1000 in groceries, including luxury cat food, meats and cheeses,” Sergeant England said.

The women, aged 36 and 59, have been charged with shoplifting in the $500–$1000 range and are due to appear in the Waitākere District Court on Christmas Eve.

Police said the incident marked the Henderson beat team’s 116th arrest since the unit launched in September. According to Sergeant England, the team has been working closely with businesses and security at The Boundary and WestCity to respond quickly to shoplifting and related calls for service.