Police have arrested five people in connection with three separate shoplifting, burglary and assault incidents in South Auckland over the weekend.

Police responded to incidents in Pukekohe, Drury and Roselands between Friday and Sunday evenings.

One of the alleged shoplifters was accused of assaulting a staff member before she tried to flee and two others - one of whom already had 19 outstanding warrants to arrest - allegedly took $3000 worth of groceries.

The first incident was on Massey Rd, Pukekohe. Inspector Joe Hunter, the Counties Manukau South area commander, said a woman reportedly shoplifted and then assaulted a staff member.

Police found and arrested a 46-year-old woman on Stadium Drive. The staff member had no serious injuries but police had given them support, Hunter said.

The arrested woman already had 10 outstanding warrants to arrest for various other offences, Hunter said.

She was due to appear in the Manukau District Court today on charges of shoplifting and aggravated assault. She was remanded in custody and police opposed bail, Hunter said.

The second incident, in Drury on Saturday, saw police respond to reports a pair were breaking into a building.

The Eagle helicopter flew overhead and monitored the situation. It tracked two men believed to have been involved and pointed officers on the ground to their location.

Police arrested two men, aged 38 and 58. They were due to appear in the Papakura District Court today and were both remanded in custody. Hunter said the premises they allegedly burgled had been targeted multiple times in recent months.

The third incident happened on Great South Rd at a supermarket in Roselands.

Officers responded to a report that more than $3000 worth of groceries had been stolen about 5.30pm on Sunday.

The two alleged robbers reportedly became aggressive when store security challenged them, Hunter said.

The pair fled the scene on foot and police caught a 29-year-old woman and 37-year-old man a short time later on Old Wairoa Rd.

The woman had 19 outstanding warrants for arrest for various other incidents, Hunter said.

Hunter hoped all of the arrests would reassure communities in South Auckland that police were working hard to try to hold offenders to account.

“These are, of course, just a snapshot of the incidents police were in attendance at over the weekend,” he said.

“We would like to thank those, as always, who bring these incidents to police’s attention by reporting them in a timely manner.

“We continue to ask those who see incidents of concern or have any information which may assist in ongoing investigations to get in touch with police.”