Shoplifting event spoils Christmas
THE owners of Toowoomba clothes boutique Smoke and Mirrors are appealing for “a show of Christmas spirit,” after a $389 gown was stolen from the store last week.
In a post to Facebook, store owner Madeline Mills said she was hoping for someone to “restore her faith in humanity” in the lead up to Christmas.
“Owning a small business can be a difficult and trying thing, and finding another item stolen from our store so close to Christmas has really affected (our) happiness,” Miss Mills said.
The gown was a size 10 Pasduchas Mrs Carter dress, last seen in-store on December 5. Miss Mills said shoplifting hit small businesses the hardest.
“We are a close-knit mother - daughter duo who do everything together - from the bookkeeping to running the store. We have no staff, so we know it was a member of the public who took this gown,” she said.
“We don’t want to pursue charges, we simply ask that whomever took the gown understands that actions like this are what destroys small business.”
She said the duo had become close with their customer base since taking over the store in March.
“We have met some amazing women - not only through our physical store in Toowoomba but also through our online customer base,” she said.
“We hold the people who come through our doors in the highest esteem and believe that what we provide to the women of Toowoomba and beyond is a service that goes beyond that of a retail assistant.
“We genuinely love our girls, and it breaks our hearts that we are in this situation.”
Miss Mills said although security footage was being reviewed, the team were hoping the patron would return the dress.
“An anonymous post back would be amazing,” she said.
“The sad part is we would have helped find a way for this dress to be in their lives if they had just chatted with us.”