Tauranga Police have arrested a 40-year-old man over the alleged theft of a woman’s purse and bankcards as her husband suffered a medical event.
Police say the couple were driving down Te Awanui Drive in heavy traffic on Monday 27 November heading towards the Mount when the man suffered a medical event.
“Members of the public stopped and assisted until emergency services arrived and the man was taken to hospital,” Police said.
“The woman, who was obviously distressed from the incident, was driven by a local Police officer to hospital to be with her husband.”
On the way to the hospital, Police say the woman discovered her purse was missing.
“When she returned to the vehicle later, she discovered that her husband’s bank cards had been removed from his phone case.”
“Calls to her bank confirmed both the cards taken from her purse and her husband’s phone case had been used at various retail outlets in the area,” Police said.
A 40-year-old man, matching clothing of one of the people who had stopped to assist during the event, has been arrested and charged with theft and using a stolen card.
He is due to appear in Tauranga District Court tomorrow (Monday 11 December).
