Senior Sergeant Kelvin Lloyd said the woman came to the police station as a result of the publicity given to allegations she had been asking for refunds from cafes, bars, restaurants and supermarkets for "poor-quality" food she had not in fact purchased.
Snr Sgt Lloyd said last night the woman was helping police with their inquiries and was expected to be arrested and charged with obtaining by deception.
Details of the charges expected to be laid were not available last night, but it was expected there could be at least a dozen.
The woman, who would not be held in custody, is expected to appear in court later this week.
The arrest follows reports of a woman approaching food outlets claiming she was about to leave the city, was tending to sick children or was about to go to a funeral and required a refund immediately.
In some cases, it was said the woman had approached the same outlets twice, without producing receipts, and averaged between $30 and $50 .
Many eateries contacted by the Otago Daily Times yesterday said staff - often junior counter staff - had been approached by a woman and had handed over refunds following the woman making a scene in front of customers.
Rhubarb owner Sam Kerr said a woman was given a $49 refund by staff on Friday after she complained she had food poisoning a month earlier.
Sarah Henderson, of The Perc, said a woman demanded and received a $28 refund from an unsuspecting staff member last month after complaining her paninis were mouldy.
"She said she was going to Invercargill and she doesn't have time for this."
Mojo owner Laura Green said she alerted police after attempts to gain refunds from the cafe's two Dunedin outlets.
"We figured her out both times because there was something about her story that just didn't add up."
The person concerned even threatened to "go to the ODT" if her refund was not granted, she said.
Murray Galland, of the Cableways Tavern in Mornington, said he was duped out of $107 for four steak meals, which served as a reminder for staff to improve their vetting process, he added.
