16 Sep 2012

Pair arrested after claim of cafe food poisoning

6:58 am on 16 September 2012

Two people have been arrested after a Whitianga cafe reported a woman tried to obtain money by falsely claiming that she had suffered food poisoning.

A 26-year-old woman and a 30-year-old man were arrested in the Coromandel town on Saturday.

It followed reports of similar incidents in Thames on Friday, in which a young woman had approached several cafes claiming that she had eaten there recently and become sick afterwards. Some businesses paid her a refund in cash.

Police say the couple, both from Auckland, have travelled to Thames, Whangamata and Whitianga and want to hear from any premises which may been targeted.

The pair will appear in Thames District Court next week charged with fraud offences.