Steal of a deal? Street sales of stolen goods surge amid cost-of-living crisis!
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As the cost-of-living crisis grips Australia, a concerning trend has emerged: everyday items, from groceries to cosmetics, are being sold on the streets at prices that are hard to ignore.
However, these bargains come with a hidden cost, as they are often the result of supermarket theft, feeding a black market that preys on the financial struggles of local families.
In the bustling suburb of St Albans, known for its vibrant multicultural food scene, makeshift markets have sprung up along Alfrieda Street.
Here, stolen goods such as high-quality cuts of meat, expensive cosmetics, and liquor are laid out on the pavement, attracting customers with their low prices.
These items, brought in shopping trolleys or bags, have been pilfered from local supermarkets and are sold without regard for the legal or health implications.
The issue isn't new, but police have noted an escalation as the cost of living continues to rise, squeezing household budgets and making these illegal bargains more tempting.
Acting Inspector Raj Tillekeratne of Victoria Police has highlighted the risks, not only of purchasing stolen goods but also the health dangers associated with buying perishable items like meat that haven't been properly stored.
‘There’s people who just come and buy it at a cheaper rate,’ he noted.
‘(Some sellers steal) to order, someone would say I need 20kg of meat, and they’d go and steal that.’
The St Albans Business Group Association, led by President Sebastian Agricola, has expressed concern over the tarnished image of Alfrieda Street and the public health risks posed by these street sales.
‘It’s d*** dangerous from a public health point of view. Would you buy meat on a hot day off the floor?’ he said. ‘But people do.’
‘They’re (the sellers) quite smart in the way they do it, but we’re determined to do what we need to do in conjunction with police to stop this,’ Mr Agricola added.
In response to over 700 retail thefts recorded in the Brimbank area this year alone, Victoria Police have initiated a targeted blitz to catch thieves red-handed.
Recent arrests at St Albans station include individuals caught with 10 stolen coffee jars and a bag full of face creams.
The police are also warning potential buyers that purchasing stolen goods is an offence, and they will be targeting buyers as well as sellers.
‘It’s an offence to buy stolen goods, so we’ll be targeting those people as well,’ Inspector Tillekeratne warned.
Despite the crackdown, Mr Agricola remarked that many locals seem unaware of the seriousness of buying stolen goods, or they are willing to risk the consequences for the sake of saving money.
‘The cost-of-living crisis hasn’t helped but…people want to buy cheap stuff, they don’t care how they get it, they don’t realise they can be charged,’ he pointed out.
Supermarkets like Coles are fighting back with a range of security measures, including smart gate technology and CCTV.
‘Additionally, trolley lock technology has been in place at a number of our stores in recent years, and this technology uses sensors to prevent trolleys [from] leaving the store if someone hasn’t first paid at a register,’ a spokesperson stated.
Meanwhile, a Woolworths spokesperson mentioned that the company uses a mix of ‘covert and overt’ strategies to combat theft in its stores.
‘The majority of our customers do the right thing, and we thank them for doing so,’ they added.
The rising cost-of-living crisis is driving an increase in supermarket theft, with stolen goods now being sold on Melbourne streets.
This desperate situation has pushed many Australians to take drastic measures to make ends meet.
For more on how the crisis is impacting daily lives and prompting extreme actions, read about the lengths to which some Aussies are going amid these tough times.
Have you witnessed or been tempted by these street-side bargains? How do you think this issue should be handled? Share your experiences and thoughts in the comments below, and let's discuss how we can collectively tackle this issue while supporting each other through these challenging economic times.
However, these bargains come with a hidden cost, as they are often the result of supermarket theft, feeding a black market that preys on the financial struggles of local families.
In the bustling suburb of St Albans, known for its vibrant multicultural food scene, makeshift markets have sprung up along Alfrieda Street.
Here, stolen goods such as high-quality cuts of meat, expensive cosmetics, and liquor are laid out on the pavement, attracting customers with their low prices.
These items, brought in shopping trolleys or bags, have been pilfered from local supermarkets and are sold without regard for the legal or health implications.
Supermarket thieves in Melbourne are exploiting the cost-of-living crisis by selling stolen goods cheaply on the streets. Credit: Facebook / Eyewatch - Brimbank Police Service Area
The issue isn't new, but police have noted an escalation as the cost of living continues to rise, squeezing household budgets and making these illegal bargains more tempting.
Acting Inspector Raj Tillekeratne of Victoria Police has highlighted the risks, not only of purchasing stolen goods but also the health dangers associated with buying perishable items like meat that haven't been properly stored.
‘There’s people who just come and buy it at a cheaper rate,’ he noted.
‘(Some sellers steal) to order, someone would say I need 20kg of meat, and they’d go and steal that.’
The St Albans Business Group Association, led by President Sebastian Agricola, has expressed concern over the tarnished image of Alfrieda Street and the public health risks posed by these street sales.
‘It’s d*** dangerous from a public health point of view. Would you buy meat on a hot day off the floor?’ he said. ‘But people do.’
‘They’re (the sellers) quite smart in the way they do it, but we’re determined to do what we need to do in conjunction with police to stop this,’ Mr Agricola added.
In response to over 700 retail thefts recorded in the Brimbank area this year alone, Victoria Police have initiated a targeted blitz to catch thieves red-handed.
Recent arrests at St Albans station include individuals caught with 10 stolen coffee jars and a bag full of face creams.
The police are also warning potential buyers that purchasing stolen goods is an offence, and they will be targeting buyers as well as sellers.
‘It’s an offence to buy stolen goods, so we’ll be targeting those people as well,’ Inspector Tillekeratne warned.
Despite the crackdown, Mr Agricola remarked that many locals seem unaware of the seriousness of buying stolen goods, or they are willing to risk the consequences for the sake of saving money.
‘The cost-of-living crisis hasn’t helped but…people want to buy cheap stuff, they don’t care how they get it, they don’t realise they can be charged,’ he pointed out.
Supermarkets like Coles are fighting back with a range of security measures, including smart gate technology and CCTV.
‘Additionally, trolley lock technology has been in place at a number of our stores in recent years, and this technology uses sensors to prevent trolleys [from] leaving the store if someone hasn’t first paid at a register,’ a spokesperson stated.
Meanwhile, a Woolworths spokesperson mentioned that the company uses a mix of ‘covert and overt’ strategies to combat theft in its stores.
‘The majority of our customers do the right thing, and we thank them for doing so,’ they added.
The rising cost-of-living crisis is driving an increase in supermarket theft, with stolen goods now being sold on Melbourne streets.
This desperate situation has pushed many Australians to take drastic measures to make ends meet.
For more on how the crisis is impacting daily lives and prompting extreme actions, read about the lengths to which some Aussies are going amid these tough times.
