Acting Sergeant Anton Perham, of Oamaru, said yesterday the 37-year-old "saw himself on Facebook and handed himself in to police''.
"Other people let him know as well; he was aware that he had been sprung.''
The incident happened at 11.30am on Wednesday at Ireland Engineering in Orwell St. It was reported at noon.
By 2.30pm yesterday - about 24 hours after the video had been posted online - the video had racked up 16,004 views.
Ireland Engineering co-owner Beverley Wilson said it was the first time the cameras had been used to identify a shoplifter since they were installed two years ago.
"The feedback that we have had, and the phone calls that we have had, has been absolutely unbelievable,'' she said.
One caller recognised the man having been in the shop a week earlier.
When the store reviewed that tape, it showed the man appearing to shoplift again, Ms Wilson said.
Police confirmed the man had admitted both shoplifting incidents.
"When we realised something might have been up and we had a look at it [the video], I quite honestly felt sick,'' Ms Wilson said.
"It's not my home, but it's my business and it's my personal space and people like that are invading it - that's what makes me feel sick.''
The alleged shoplifter was scheduled to appear in Oamaru District Court on January 27.
