Rising retail theft is putting shoppers at risk—even authorities are alarmed!
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A Melbourne supermarket heist has left authorities stunned and shoppers concerned
Allegations point to a sophisticated crime syndicate targeting some of the city’s most in-demand products.
Police say the scale of the operation is unlike anything seen in recent years.
Detectives have charged a group accused of stealing $10million worth of goods, including baby formula, medication, skincare products, and electric toothbrushes.
The five-month investigation, known as 'Operation Supanova', resulted in 19 arrests, mostly of Indian nationals on temporary student or bridging visas.
Victoria Police allege the suspects were part of a coordinated network supplying stolen items to 'receivers', who then sold the products for profit.
Six men and one woman, aged between 21 and 54, were among those arrested, with all six men remaining in custody and due to face court in the coming weeks.
One man, 22, of no fixed address, faced 54 counts of theft and allegedly stole more than $136,000 worth of goods.
Two other men allegedly stole $109,000 and $111,000 worth of products, facing a combined total of 71 offences.
The woman, 54, was charged with 30 counts of handling stolen goods and was granted bail.
Australian Border Force was notified about the alleged offenders on temporary visas, with investigations continuing and further arrests expected.
Detective Acting Inspector Rachele Ciavarella said: 'This has been one of the most significant operations we've undertaken in recent times to target organised retail theft.'
She added: 'We will allege this syndicate are not only stealing for themselves, but they are part of a coordinated criminal enterprise profiting from stolen goods.'
'By working with major retailers, we've been able to identify alleged offenders quickly and build a strong intelligence picture, allowing us to target the right people at the right time,' she said.
'Our message is simple: if you target our retail sector, we will target you. We will continue to work with our partners to protect businesses and hold offenders to account.'
Retail theft is one of Victoria’s fastest-growing crimes, with 41,270 offences recorded in the past year—a 38 per cent increase.
High-demand items such as medicine, vitamins, skincare products, electric toothbrushes, toiletries, and tins of baby formula were allegedly targeted in the thefts.
If the thought of rising retail theft has you feeling uneasy, it helps to know your rights as a shopper.
There are situations where innocent customers can be mistakenly accused, and understanding how to respond can save a lot of stress.
For a practical guide on protecting yourself in these scenarios, check out this useful resource:
Read more: Could you be accused of stealing at your local supermarket? Here's how to defend yourself
Have you ever considered how far organised retail theft can stretch before authorities intervene?
Allegations point to a sophisticated crime syndicate targeting some of the city’s most in-demand products.
Police say the scale of the operation is unlike anything seen in recent years.
Detectives have charged a group accused of stealing $10million worth of goods, including baby formula, medication, skincare products, and electric toothbrushes.
The five-month investigation, known as 'Operation Supanova', resulted in 19 arrests, mostly of Indian nationals on temporary student or bridging visas.
Victoria Police allege the suspects were part of a coordinated network supplying stolen items to 'receivers', who then sold the products for profit.
$10 million retail theft syndicate busted. Image source: Victoria Police
Six men and one woman, aged between 21 and 54, were among those arrested, with all six men remaining in custody and due to face court in the coming weeks.
One man, 22, of no fixed address, faced 54 counts of theft and allegedly stole more than $136,000 worth of goods.
Two other men allegedly stole $109,000 and $111,000 worth of products, facing a combined total of 71 offences.
The woman, 54, was charged with 30 counts of handling stolen goods and was granted bail.
Australian Border Force was notified about the alleged offenders on temporary visas, with investigations continuing and further arrests expected.
Detective Acting Inspector Rachele Ciavarella said: 'This has been one of the most significant operations we've undertaken in recent times to target organised retail theft.'
She added: 'We will allege this syndicate are not only stealing for themselves, but they are part of a coordinated criminal enterprise profiting from stolen goods.'
'By working with major retailers, we've been able to identify alleged offenders quickly and build a strong intelligence picture, allowing us to target the right people at the right time,' she said.
'Our message is simple: if you target our retail sector, we will target you. We will continue to work with our partners to protect businesses and hold offenders to account.'
Retail theft is one of Victoria’s fastest-growing crimes, with 41,270 offences recorded in the past year—a 38 per cent increase.
High-demand items such as medicine, vitamins, skincare products, electric toothbrushes, toiletries, and tins of baby formula were allegedly targeted in the thefts.
If the thought of rising retail theft has you feeling uneasy, it helps to know your rights as a shopper.
There are situations where innocent customers can be mistakenly accused, and understanding how to respond can save a lot of stress.
For a practical guide on protecting yourself in these scenarios, check out this useful resource:
Read more: Could you be accused of stealing at your local supermarket? Here's how to defend yourself
Have you ever considered how far organised retail theft can stretch before authorities intervene?
