New court document reveals details of Golriz Ghahraman's shoplifting

Author: Katie Harris,
Publish Date: Thu, 14 Mar 2024, 9:45AM

A newly-released court document has revealed details about which items former MP Golriz Ghahraman stole, and how she did it.

Ghahraman pleaded guilty to four shoplifting charges, relating to theft from three separate stores, in the Auckland District Court yesterday.

An agreed summary of facts, provided to the Herald by the court this morning, shows at around 3pm on October 22 last year Ghahraman entered the Cre8tiveworx store in Wellington and selected a number of items to try on.

Among the pieces was a black Zambesi shirt, valued at $695.

The document said she tried on the items, emerging several times to peruse the display rack and chat with an associate.

Ghahraman put the Zambesi shirt inside her bag while in the changing room and then purchased a pair of pants.

Two months later, just before 4pm on December 21, Ghahraman and two associates visited Scotties Boutique in Ponsonby.

She was carrying a large tote bag over her right shoulder.

During her time in the store Ghahraman removed a $1900 black Acne Studios single-breasted coat from the display rack and a pair of black pants from another rack.

With both items in her possession, she entered a changing room and concealed the coat in her bag before returning the pants to the display.

Former Green Party of Aotearoa MP Golriz Ghahraman. Photo / Dean Purcell

The document said she continued to peruse the store, before also taking a Comme des Garcons wallet, valued at $160.

The next afternoon she entered the Standard Issue store in Newmarket with a large tote bag.

During the visit she chatted with the manager and picked up a $389 navy blue cardigan from the display table.

When the manager’s attention was diverted she put the jersey in her bag and left.

“The manager immediately noticed the cardigan was no longer on the table when Ms Ghahraman left the store. Ms Ghahraman was the only customer in the store,” the summary said.

One day later she again visited Scotties Boutique with her large black tote bag, as well as a red satchel, and once inside she removed another large tote from within the initial bag.

While there she surreptitiously placed a charcoal grey Bao Bao Issey Miyake Lucent bag, worth $650, into a satchel she was carrying.

She then proceeded to take four items into the changing room, including a $333 black Two Squares simple slip dress and a black Row calanthe dress, valued at $4500. She put both items, and a $290 black Lemaire crepe tank top, in her bags.

The document said a shop assistant approached her outside the store and asked to search her bags.

“Ghahraman refused to show the store employee the contents of her bags. She returned briefly inside the store with the employee where she offered an explanation, pointing to a dress hung inside a coat as the reason for the misunderstanding. The employee accepted this explanation and allowed her to leave.”

Later that afternoon an associate of Ghahraman’s returned to the store and returned the dresses and bag she had stolen, but did not give the top back.

The document said Ghahraman did not recall taking the shirt from Cre8tiveworx but did admit to both shoplifting incidents at Scotties.

She declined to comment on the Standard Issue offending.

Reparation is sought to replace all stolen items, and while most of the Scotties Boutique items have been recovered, $2350 is still owed.

Cre8tiveworx or Standard Issue are yet to recover the value of stolen goods.

In an earlier statement, Ghahraman, who resigned from Parliament in January, apologised for her behaviour and said she did not excuse her actions.

She cited “extreme stress” and linked it to previously unrecognised trauma. She said she was seeking help from mental health professionals.

In her statement, Ghahraman said the stress had led her to act in ways that were “completely out of character”.

Katie Harris is an Auckland-based journalist who covers social issues including sexual assault, workplace misconduct, crime and justice. She joined the Herald in 2020.