Pauw was probably more than mildly sloshed and a little belligerent. However his honesty is probably more commendable than his stupidity is deplorable.
I do think SAPS handled the matter poorly and I can't but fear that somebody involved from the SAPS side of things wanted to grind an axe and saw an opportunity to instruct arresting officers (presumably constables) to throw the book. Even on the version by SAPS spokesperson the making of an arrest is not explained. No doubt V&A security was involved - the office to which he was taken and an executive of V&A showing him certain facts - and I wouldn't be surprised if the lineup wasn't as follows: Pauw was being a nuisance, the restaurant informed V&A, V&A security was stepping in and a SAPS connection at cluster level brought on. The at hand constables were then instructed to make an apprehension and thereafter arrest for theft.
A charge of theft was improper as even on a version of this being actual case of bilking the offence is within the parameters of fraud rather than theft. Moreover even if a person is belligerent and intoxicated SAPS has little reason to manhandle that person, have a large cop show up
I've seen drunk belligerent students in an attempted 2am shoplifting move go from hurling abuse at the cashier in English to "ja maneer, ek verstaan" in broken Afrikaans because the right cop was authoritatively commanding them to behave in Afrikaans. Apparently they pitched up at the magistrates court the next morning. Of course this isn't the fault of the individual police officers but rather points to command and control at SAPS as well as the handling protocols.