The Oamaru community are a helpful bunch - that showed yesterday when there were stolen goods on the line.
Just before 3pm yesterday, a man was shopping at Sutherland Mens and Ladies Wear in Thames St when he took off, allegedly stealing two sweatshirts.
A staff member saw the incident occur and ran down the street, chasing the thief, before the man got into a car and drove off with a group of people.
Another member of the public watched the foot-chase outside the shop and contacted police, providing a description of the vehicle the suspect was in.
Sergeant Tony Woodbridge, of Oamaru, said police stopped the vehicle a short time later on State Highway 1, just south of Herbert.
Police recovered two sweatshirts and a 23-year-old Dunedin man was charged with theft. He will appear in the Oamaru District Court on June 29.
Sgt Woodbridge thanked the community for its assistance catching the suspect.
"We really appreciate the other member of the public who did phone through the vehicle details because that assisted us in getting them," Sgt Woodbridge said.
• A 51-year-old man was released with a formal warning after police arrested him for obstructing them when they were dealing with an incident in Wansbeck St, at 2.55pm on Tuesday.
