Bring home the wagyu: Man allegedly steals $12,000 worth of meat more than 27 times
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In a twist that might surprise some, a man accused of stealing a staggering $12,000 worth of meat from a South Australian supermarket has found an unexpected group of supporters among the public.
The man, caught on CCTV filling his cooler bag with premium cuts, including Wagyu beef, at a Drakes supermarket, has sparked a debate that goes beyond the act of theft itself.
The footage showed the man, clad in a bright orange hi-vis jacket, nonchalantly placing packs of high-end Wagyu beef into his cooler bag and strolling past the checkout without paying.
This wasn't a one-off incident; the tradie is accused of repeating this theft more than 27 times, with the stolen goods totalling an eye-watering $12,000.
But here's the twist: despite the clear-cut nature of the crime, many Australians are siding with the alleged thief.
And the reason? A deep-seated frustration with the big supermarket chains and the perception of their role in the rising cost of living, including the price of groceries.
The Director of Drakes Supermarkets, John Paul Drake, has taken measures to combat such thefts, including the installation of GPS trackers on meat products.
'We know these products aren't going to people in need, people in need don't need Wagyu or Angus pure beef to have on their tables,’ he said.
The South Australia Police are investigating the incidents, and the supermarket chain is considering rolling out the GPS technology across all its stores in South Australia and Queensland.
This move comes as Drakes claimed that meat theft costs them up to $12 million a year.
Auror, a company offering tech solutions to help retailers curb theft, found over 67,000 cases of stolen meat last year. Beef is the most frequently stolen, followed by chicken, lamb, and pork.
While some individuals steal meat for personal consumption, there were reports of others selling premium cuts to restaurants.
Drake has posted multiple videos on social media exposing alleged thieves caught on CCTV cameras stealing meat.
He confronted a man at a Drakes supermarket in Adelaide who allegedly tried to leave the store without paying.
'I said, “Look mate, I know things are tough out there, but this is not the place to walk out with products like this,”’ Drake said.
However, the public reaction to the tradie's meat heist has been mixed, with some online commenters suggesting that the supermarkets themselves are partly to blame for the thefts.
They argued that the high salaries of CEOs and substantial profits of the chains, such as Woolworths' $1.74 billion last year, contrast sharply with the financial struggles many Australians face.
'Lots of people struggle to feed themselves while places like ww (Woolworths) pay their CEOs around $10 million a year,' one shopper commented.
‘I don't even consider a freebie here and there as stealing.'
Another added, 'Stop charging ridiculous amounts of money. If that stock wasn't [allegedly] stolen it would be thrown out like everything else.'
'Woolworths [made] $1.74billion in profit last year! Who's ripping off who in these situations?'
Moreover, a Greens-led Senate Select Committee on Supermarket Prices has recommended making price gouging illegal and introducing laws to dismantle Australia's supermarket duopoly.
You can watch A Current Affairs’ coverage below:
Credit: A Current Affair / YouTube
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The man, caught on CCTV filling his cooler bag with premium cuts, including Wagyu beef, at a Drakes supermarket, has sparked a debate that goes beyond the act of theft itself.
The footage showed the man, clad in a bright orange hi-vis jacket, nonchalantly placing packs of high-end Wagyu beef into his cooler bag and strolling past the checkout without paying.
This wasn't a one-off incident; the tradie is accused of repeating this theft more than 27 times, with the stolen goods totalling an eye-watering $12,000.
But here's the twist: despite the clear-cut nature of the crime, many Australians are siding with the alleged thief.
A man allegedly stole expensive meats at a Drakes supermarket. Credit: A Current Affair / YouTube
And the reason? A deep-seated frustration with the big supermarket chains and the perception of their role in the rising cost of living, including the price of groceries.
The Director of Drakes Supermarkets, John Paul Drake, has taken measures to combat such thefts, including the installation of GPS trackers on meat products.
'We know these products aren't going to people in need, people in need don't need Wagyu or Angus pure beef to have on their tables,’ he said.
The South Australia Police are investigating the incidents, and the supermarket chain is considering rolling out the GPS technology across all its stores in South Australia and Queensland.
This move comes as Drakes claimed that meat theft costs them up to $12 million a year.
Auror, a company offering tech solutions to help retailers curb theft, found over 67,000 cases of stolen meat last year. Beef is the most frequently stolen, followed by chicken, lamb, and pork.
While some individuals steal meat for personal consumption, there were reports of others selling premium cuts to restaurants.
Drake has posted multiple videos on social media exposing alleged thieves caught on CCTV cameras stealing meat.
He confronted a man at a Drakes supermarket in Adelaide who allegedly tried to leave the store without paying.
'I said, “Look mate, I know things are tough out there, but this is not the place to walk out with products like this,”’ Drake said.
However, the public reaction to the tradie's meat heist has been mixed, with some online commenters suggesting that the supermarkets themselves are partly to blame for the thefts.
They argued that the high salaries of CEOs and substantial profits of the chains, such as Woolworths' $1.74 billion last year, contrast sharply with the financial struggles many Australians face.
'Lots of people struggle to feed themselves while places like ww (Woolworths) pay their CEOs around $10 million a year,' one shopper commented.
‘I don't even consider a freebie here and there as stealing.'
Another added, 'Stop charging ridiculous amounts of money. If that stock wasn't [allegedly] stolen it would be thrown out like everything else.'
'Woolworths [made] $1.74billion in profit last year! Who's ripping off who in these situations?'
Moreover, a Greens-led Senate Select Committee on Supermarket Prices has recommended making price gouging illegal and introducing laws to dismantle Australia's supermarket duopoly.
You can watch A Current Affairs’ coverage below:
Credit: A Current Affair / YouTube
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