Thefts ‘worst it has been’

Police hunt shoplifter caught on camera

A HOBART clothing shop manager says shoplifting is the “worst it’s ever been” during her time in the city, after a thief was caught making off with more than $400 in merchandise.

The Spotted Quoll Studio in Liverpool St took to social media on Tuesday to call out the theft, asking followers to name and shame the culprit.

“Does anyone recognise our candid camera thief?,” the post read, including a screenshot of a woman in her 30s on camera browsing in the shop.

“If you think we are putting up with any more of this BS then think again, you steal from me and I will catch you.”

The shoplifter was accused of making off with $437 in goods, including a pair of black bob pants and set of Tasmanian Oak earrings.

Tasmania Police confirmed they were investigating.

“Police are investigating a report of several clothing items stolen from a store on Liverpool St around 10.45am yesterday,” a spokeswoman said.

Spotted Quoll store manager Maddy Crawford said the past few months had seen a significant increase in thefts from the shop.

“Over the last three or four months, we’ve lost probably $2000 worth of stock all up from shoplifting we reckon,” Ms Crawford said. “We had to do something about it … we already had two cameras but we’ve just put another four in – they’re really high specs, you can zoom in and do lots of screenshots and stuff – they pay for themselves actually.”

Ms Crawford said the shop could run a face check with the new cameras and did not think the woman caught stealing had been a repeat offender despite showing “real craft”.

“We’ve got shots of her flipping a pair of earrings up her sleeve,” she said.

“She clipped two pairs of trousers to one hanger and without us noticing on the rack and then took it off as if she was taking one pair of trousers to the changing room. She stole the pair she clipped and then returned the other ones to make it look like she hadn’t.”

Fortunately for the Spotted Quoll, the thief did not do everything right.

“She used her card to pay for two little greeting cards so hopefully the police can track her through that,” Ms Crawford said.

“It’s just really shit as a small business … it’s a direct impact, the store owner won’t be able to pay herself this week because all of her other costs are still the same.”