Former reality television personality Kate Gosselin was “almost knocked over†during an attempted robbery at a New World supermarket in Auckland on Friday, according to a TikTok video she posted describing the incident.
grocery Grab Gone Wrong
The “Jon & Kate plus 8†star recounted a frightening experience at a New World botany store, where a thief made off with a trolley full of groceries.
Gosselin, known for starring in “Jon & Kate Plus 8,†shared the ordeal on TikTok, showing staff at New World Botany retrieving a trolley laden with stolen goods. She explained that she and her boyfriend, Steve neild, along with others, attempted to intervene as the suspect fled.
A Near Fall and a Rapid Recovery
“The guy ran past us and lost his shoe,†Gosselin said in the video posted on Sunday. “He literally pushed past me, almost knocked me down in my lack of walking state.†The incident was especially jarring, she added, as she is still recovering from a leg injury sustained last year while playing with her dog, requiring surgery.
Community Response and Cultural Differences: Gosselin observed a stark contrast between the response to theft in New zealand and what she expects in the United States. In New Zealand, bystanders actively intervened, while she believes such a response would be less common in the U.S.
Gosselin noted the swift reaction of onlookers, describing “Kiwi men†chasing after the thief while others immediately contacted the police. “It’s a big deal here, because honestly, there’s not much crime here,†she stated. She contrasted this with what she believes would happen in the U.S., saying, “In America, they would have just let him go.â€
She even recounted kicking the fleeing thief’s shoe to impede his escape. “There was like six or eight of them that went flying after him,†she said, praising the community’s involvement. Gosselin also commended her boyfriend, noting, “I love that Steve turns right back into a cop on a moment’s notice.â€
According to Gosselin, the suspect escaped in a vehicle, but witnesses managed to record the license plate number and provide it to authorities, which she called “so cool.â€
A Foodstuffs North Island spokesperson confirmed the incident occurred last Friday. “A person left New world Botany with a trolley of meat and othre groceries without paying,†the spokesperson said. “The store team immediately contacted Botany Mall security. senior team members followed the individual into the car park, where mall security assisted and the trolley of stolen goods was recovered.â€
the spokesperson added that such incidents are “extremely rare†at New World Botany.
