Golriz Ghahraman spotted putting Pak’nSave groceries into tote

Thursday, 16 January 2025

Fresh allegations of shoplifting against former Green MP Golriz Ghahraman stemmed from an incident where she was spotted putting items into a tote bag she was carrying while grocery shopping, The Post understands.

It’s understood Ghahraman was shopping at an Auckland Pak’nSave with a trolley and a tote bag and had put some items into that bag, which was sitting in the trolley, when she was approached by a staff member who had been watching her on CCTV.

It’s understood she was asked to leave the store, to which Ghahraman responded she was still shopping and wanted to pay for her items. She then left.

It’s understood police haven’t interviewed Ghahraman.

Police have confirmed they are investigating a complaint of shoplifting relating to the late 2024 incident - which came after Ghahraman was earlier in the year convicted of theft from several Auckland clothing stores.

She resigned from the Green Party, and cited mental health reasons for her offending. An application for a discharge without conviction was declined.

The regular threats and abuse she received as an MP had contributed to her mental health crisis, the court was previously told.

Ghahraman, contacted today, didn’t want to comment.

She previously said she was as “baffled as anyone” about her 2023 shoplifting, and that she was in “crisis” at the time.

“It wasn't to get a little bit of joy, because there was no joy … It was just shame, shame, the whole time,' she told broadcaster John Campbell last year.