By Tiana Thorpe, Digital Reporter
31 mins ago

A jeweller on Auckland's North Shore ended up in a footrace with a thief who swiped a $6900 watch from his hands.

The shoplifter took to his heels with the timepiece but left what might prove
a vital clue for police.

Gerhard Augenstein, owner of Augenstein's Jewellers & Watch Makers in Browns Bay, was working at his store at 3.50pm on Tuesday when a man came in and
asked to look at a watch.

"I showed it to him. And he just took it and ran," Augenstein told 1News.

Augenstein bolted after him, chasing the man down the street for 50m before another customer eventually tackled him.

"I'm old, but I'm fast. I'm 59 but I still caught up with him.

"He got up and he ran, and we knocked him over again, and he dropped his
shoe, so [police] have DNA evidence."

The man then made his escape, with Augenstein seeing him get into a grey SUV with a group of other men.

Augenstein said it was not the first time he had dealt with thieves in his store.

"A few years ago, and I didn't let go of the item [that was getting stolen], and I was dragged along by the car."

Although the latest thief managed to get away, Augenstein was confident the evidence of the man's shoe would help police to find him.

He thanked the Browns Bay community, who came out of their stores to help him with the chase.

"He did get a fright because of the other people after him. You could see it
in his face."

1News has approached police for comment.

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