A motorway patrol police officer has successfully put the brakes on two offenders allegedly connected to a spate of recent shoplifting and a stolen vehicle offence.

The officer stopped a vehicle on SH18 near Brigham Creek at 10am yesterday for what appeared to be a routine speeding offence.

However, subsequent inquiries at the scene revealed the utility had been stolen during a house burglary in Kaitaia last Saturday night.

In addition, a female passenger was identified as being responsible for seven shoplifting offences in Auckland and Kerikeri from late October 2022 to February 2023, involving the theft of high-end electronic products from nationwide retail chains worth just under $10,000.

The male driver and female passenger were arrested and held in custody overnight to appear in the Waitākere District Court today.

He was charged with unlawfully taking a motor vehicle, receiving stolen property, possession of utensils for use of methamphetamine, and unlawfully taking a motor vehicle.

The female was charged with seven counts of shoplifting.