Bring home the wagyu: Man allegedly steals $12,000 worth of meat more than 27 times

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.


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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

Key Takeaways

  • A man wearing a hi-vis jacket was caught on CCTV allegedly stealing packs of premium meat, including Wagyu beef, worth $12,000 from Drakes supermarkets.
  • Drakes Supermarkets have installed GPS trackers on their expensive meat products to deter thieves and track stolen items.
  • While some social media users condemned the action, others sympathised with the alleged thief, blaming supermarket chains for high prices and executive salaries.
  • Drakes is considering expanding the use of GPS technology to all of its stores amongst a backdrop of inquiries into supermarket pricing practices in Australia.
Have you ever experienced seeing a shoplifter in action? Let us know in the comments below!
 
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theft is theft... do the crime, do the time. Even almost 60 years ago when I could only afford to feed my kids and I ate their leftovers and one of my jobs was cleaning a shop I NEVER even thought about stealing stuff. I can't find any excuse for it and in those days there were no places to go for freebees like there is today
 
Supermarkets throw away food that is not sold and "out of date".
Aged care homes throw away food that is not consumed by residents than give it to staff unless they pay for it.
Both are money driven. Both display despicable attitude to food wastage.
How about if supermarkets reduced the price of products particularly perishable goods (no more stealing?) and aged care facilities offered food to their staff instead of throwing it away.
 
Theft is theft. This lowlife is stealing high end meat not for himself but for a profit. We all end up paying for his dishonesty by higher prices. There are places like Foodbanks & the Salvos so there is no excuse for theft. And those that are defending him are probably thieves themselves. I work hard for my money BUT there were times that I could only afford bread & butter & was close to losing everything & forced to live on the streets.
 
It's an attitude all to prevalent today. Gimme gimme. No care for consequences, although there are very few. Crime and violence is being driven by video games and bad tv/ movie content.
Theft is theft and they should be punished. And it's not even super poor people, it's those that could actually afford it. And this man is stealing for his own profit.
 
Supermarkets throw away food that is not sold and "out of date".
Aged care homes throw away food that is not consumed by residents than give it to staff unless they pay for it.
Both are money driven. Both display despicable attitude to food wastage.
How about if supermarkets reduced the price of products particularly perishable goods (no more stealing?) and aged care facilities offered food to their staff instead of throwing it away.
You really think that would make a difference. A thief is a thief they will steal no matter what.
Those that think this is OK are as bad as the thief. They have lost their moral compass
Sure the supemarkets are price
gouging, protest with your feet, not your hands.
There is no excuse for stealing.
There are plenty of food banks, etc. available for those truly in need.
 
Any idiot who condones stealing prime cuts of meat from supermarkets needs a brain transplant - THAT'S WHY HONEST PEOPLE ARE PAYING SO MUCH FOR MEAT you fools. Get real and start looking at the real cause for inflated food prices.
 
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Stealing is stealing….
Cannot believe that some people condone this behaviour, what message does that send to the younger community!!
The message to the younger generation, is go for it because you won’t have to pay back or be responsible for what you’ve done, and the thickheads of today will praise you.
Unbelievable but that’s what is happening all the time in this world of ours.
 

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