Sweet cop nets choc mob

IT COULD have been a job for the Milky Bar kid – rounding up the chocolate mafia gang.

A band of chocolate thieves has been busted in Auckland and police want to put them behind, ahem, bars.

The group of four appeared in the Waitakere District Court last week charged with being part of an organised criminal group whose ‘‘shared objective’’ was the theft of chocolate.

Police believe Shonteil Hau, Stevie-Lee Kapa, Billie-Jean Paikea, Maria Paikea have been responsible for more than $20,000 worth of shoplifting this year, mainly in chocolate and razor blades.

Police suspect the chocolate was stolen to order for dairies.

Hau, for example, was charged with eight instances of theft dating back to February. She was charged with stealing $1169 worth of chocolate from the Glen Eden Countdown in February and three thefts of chocolate worth $913, $940 and $502 from the Kelston Countdown in May, July and October.

She was alleged to have made three separate thefts of $502 worth of chocolate from the Kelston, St Lukes and Lynmall Countdowns on May 8.

The group was suspected of operating as far south as Taupo and as far north as Whangarei.

The chocolate ring allegedly filled trolleys with chocolate and then either just walked out of the store or one of the group would create a diversion by smashing a bottle.

The group was suspected of taking more than $20,000 worth of goods for the year.