Police have arrested an alleged thief in connection with a raid of a dairy that turned up scores of stolen Whittaker’s chocolate blocks, chasing him through Auckland’s central city last night.

An off-duty officer recognised a man he saw walking through the city and alerted his colleagues.

Beat policemen then approached the man and tried to arrest him but he ran away, inspector Dave Christoffersen said.

Officers chased and arrested him on Albert St.

Police charged the 38-year-old with three charges of shoplifting, escaping custody and other unrelated charges.

He was due to appear in the Auckland District Court today and police planned to oppose bail.

It follows charges for a 42-year-old man of receiving stolen goods after a raid turned up 50 stolen chocolate blocks on Friday. He was due in court on June 7.

Inspector Grant Tetzlaff, the Auckland City Central area commander, said “a few” small retailers were allegedly receiving stolen goods then selling them in their stores.

Tetzlaff said police had been “keeping a close eye on” a string of thefts and where the goods had been ending up.

He said: “This behaviour simply continues a cycle of offending and means [retailers’] industry colleagues are likely to be targeted and victimised in their businesses.”

Police executed a search warrant at the dairy on Friday evening and recovered the allegedly stolen chocolate.

Some 50 blocks of Whittaker's chocolate allegedly stolen from a supermarket were found during a raid of an Auckland dairy. Photo / New Zealand Police

Police inquiries were continuing and Tetzlaff expected further arrests in connection with the wider thefts.

“It’s really disappointing to see a few small retailers are engaging in the behaviour that we will allege this man has been involved [in],” Tetzlaff said.

“Our staff in the city have been keeping a close eye on the wider picture of those involved in the initial offending, but also where these products are ending up,” he said.

On the latest arrest, Christoffersen said it followed “hundreds” of charges laid over retail offences in the central city in recent months.

He said police wanted to remind retailers it was a crime to buy stolen goods.

”Retailers need to be very aware that if they are being approached to buy goods at a very low price they very well may be dealing in stolen property,” he said.

“Our teams are continuing to lay charges for the initial offending, but we are also investigating where these items are being distributed.

“Police will continue to lay charges for theft or receiving offences where these are appropriate.”

Raphael Franks is an Auckland-based reporter who covers breaking news. He joined the Herald as a Te Rito cadet in 2022.