The Pak'n Save supermarket in Manukau. Photo: Google Maps
Police are investigating multiple complaints about alleged extortion of customers at a South Auckland supermarket at the end of January.
A police spokesperson says they are speaking with a number of people about the "series of incidents" at the Pak'n Save store in Manukau.
"Those people we are speaking with are supporting our enquiries into establishing what has occurred."
Police enquiries are "still ongoing at this point", they said.
"Police encourage anyone who believes they have had similar experiences at Pak N Save Manukau to contact us, to ensure the matter is reported."
RNZ's Checkpoint spoke to one complainant on the condition of anonymity, who said she was cornered by a security guard at the supermarket and falsely accused of stealing.
She told Checkpoint the security guard threatened to call the police if she did not pay a $395 fine for stealing two bottles of moisturiser.
When she checked her receipt the bottles were not on it, she said.
"I tried to explain to him like that wasn't my intention to do it... it was just an accident."
The security guard then told her that usually they would call the police but in this case she might have to pay a fine of $395, she said.
"I requested to see my CCTV footage if I can just to see just what I've done... I can't remember what I've done to those two bottles of moisturiser from the beginning - I wasn't sure that I scanned them or no."
After requesting the CCTV footage several times, she said it showed she had scanned the bottles and was innocent.
The complainant then said she told the security guard it was obvious she had scanned the bottles, that she did not want to say anything further and asked him to call the police.
She was then able to leave the security office, she said.
The woman said it was a horrible experience and she was very scared.
Foodstuffs has been approached for comment. A spokesperson told RNZ last week they had "sincerely apologised to a customer" for a distressing incident in Pak'N Save Manukau on 25 January, allegedly involving a third party provider.
They said they would undertake their own review of the incidents.
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