A 25-year-old man has been arrested in Auckland for allegedly stealing $90,000 worth of goods from retailers.

Police said the arrest was made late last week during a prevention operation at LynnMall, where the Area Prevention Unit was working during late-night shopping.

Inspector Kelly Farrant, area prevention manager for Waitemata West, said the man was a person of interest in the operation and was spotted by officers on Thursday evening.

The alleged offender is facing 26 shoplifting charges and two burglary charges in relation to incidents that took place in Mt Albert, Henderson, Auckland, and New Lynn between April and September 2025.

The man has been remanded in custody and is due to appear in the Waitakere District Court on September 23.

“This is the result of great teamwork, intuition and planning,” Inspector Farrant said.

“Our Area Prevention team will continue running operations that protect hard-working business owners from the devastating and costly consequences of retail crime.”

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