A man has admitted six charges of theft after snatching handbags and wallets from people in stores at Eastgate mall.

He is now in custody waiting for a sentencing date to be set in Christchurch District Court.

On May 16 Daniel Martin Christie, 37, took a wallet from an elderly woman's handbag while she was in The Warehouse. She had recently withdrawn $40 from an ATM.

On June 21 he took a handbag from a woman shopping at Countdown. Her wallet was found a short distance from the supermarket with $490 in cash missing, but her handbag was not recovered.

On July 5 Christie stole a handbag from an elderly woman in Countdown. The bag was found a short time later with $100 missing.

The next day in Countdown Christie stole a wallet from a trolley in which two children, aged two and five, were sitting. The wallet was handed in to the information kiosk a short time later, missing $60 cash and a credit card.

Then 15 minutes later, Christie took a handbag from a pram in Max Out. He stole a cellphone and jewellery valued at about $3000 before hiding the bag behind a power box on the road.

Forty-five minutes later he grabbed a handbag from a victim setting up a merchandising stand at The Warehouse.

A security guard stopped him as he was leaving, when he noticed the bag under Christie's jacket, but Christie told him it was his partner's bag and showed him the contents. The bag was found in a wheelie bin with $80 missing.

Judge Gary MacAskill remanded Christie in custody to July 23 for a sentencing date to be arranged.

- © Fairfax NZ News