The Te Anau police officer who arrested an elderly tourist who stole an artwork from the Arrowtown Museum says the woman is sorry for a spur of the moment bad decision.
A 75-year-old British woman was arrested on Wednesday for the theft of the piece of art worth $625.
She threw the picture in the rubbish and was unable to direct police to the bin she put it in.
The officer who arrested the woman, Constable Christopher Bolton, says the woman has paid for the picture and written a letter of apology to the artist.
He says the woman is not being deported but is leaving New Zealand on Saturday as planned.
