The 51-year-old man was also wanted for a raft of other thefts and dishonesty charges when he was finally tracked down on Friday at 10pm in Oamaru, Senior Sergeant Anthony Bond, of Dunedin, said.
On August 23, the man stole a bottle of chocolate milk from a Night n Day in Dunedin, and on August 31, he again pilfered some more chocolate milk.
He also repeatedly swapped the barcodes on tools from hardware stores in Dunedin for much cheaper items between July and August.
On July 25, he stole a water jug from the Dunedin Caltex forecourt and on May 23 did a petrol drive off.
He received eight charges for shoplifting and dishonesty, Snr Sgt Bond said.
Meanwhile, on Friday, a "very intoxicated" Dunedin man was spotted wandering around a stranger’s Fairfield backyard unsuccessfully attempting to steal a lawnmower, Snr Sgt Bond said.
Police were called and they went to arrest the 27-year-old man, however, he resisted.
He was subdued and charged with resisting arrest and being unlawfully on a property.
The man would appear in Dunedin District Court at a later date.
