A woman who allegedly stole more than $1000 of sparkling wine from a Dunedin supermarket is now behind bars.

Letiecia Terry Wilson, 25, shot to prominence in the city when a video of her giving a middle-fingered gesture circulated on social media.

A member of the public filmed her after she was seen allegedly thieving from a central city business when the confrontation in George St took place.

Wilson appeared before the Dunedin District Court this morning charged with stealing $1030 of sparkling wine from Countdown Andersons Bay on November 10 and possessing a methamphetamine pipe 10 days later.

She was remanded in custody by consent and will appear in court again next week.

Charged alongside her is a 38-year-old man, who faced an identical count of possessing a glass pipe.

He was also charged with stealing nearly $500 of groceries - including meat, wine and dental-care products - in Christchurch from November 10 to 12.

The man will appear in court later today.

Senior Sergeant Anthony Bond said officers arrested the couple in Opoho outside Gardens New World about 2am yesterday.

The woman was in the car while the man was returning from a public toilet and numerous items of stolen property were found in their vehicle, Snr Sgt Bond said.

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Further investigations were ongoing into other incidents in Canterbury and Otago, police confirmed.