An alleged major St Albans retail theft syndicate has been dismantled, with police arresting seven people and seizing more than $125,000 worth of stolen goods – a seizure so large police had to hire a van to transport the allegedly stolen goods.
It will be alleged this syndicate stole more than $320,000 worth of alcohol, beauty and health products from major retailers across Melbourne this year.
The thieves then allegedly on-sold the stolen goods to business and individual receivers in the St Albans area.
North-west Metro Regional Crime Squad Acting Detective Sergeant Jethro Carbines said the motivation for the syndicate was “purely profit driven.”
“Organised retail syndicates aren’t stealing to put food on the table … a lot of the time thieves are using the profits to purchase illegal drugs which further fuels the illicit drug trade,” he said.
Detectives located more than $100,000 worth of allegedly stolen alcohol including spirits, illegally imported tobacco, cigarettes and vapes, and a baton.
One alleged receiver – a 32-year old bottle shop owner from St Albans – was arrested during a search warrant on Main Road on June 25.
The owner was charged with handling stolen goods, negligently dealing with property suspected of being the proceeds of crime, and possessing a prohibited weapon.
The warrant follows the arrest of five alleged thieves and the seizure of $25,000 worth of allegedly stolen beauty products this month.
Among the alleged thieves are three men from St Albans – a 24-year old, a 29-year old and a 39-year old.
The men will appear separately before Melbourne Magistrates’ Court in July.
Two other alleged thieves – a 34-year old man and a 45-year old man of no fixed addresses – were also arrested and will appear before Geelong Magistrates’ Court and Melbourne Magistrates’ court respectively.
A 22-year old St Albans man was also charged with possessing heroin, possessing methylamphetamine, dealing with the proceeds of crime and possessing a false document.
He was bailed to appear before Melbourne Magistrates’ Court in October
Over the next few days, investigators will count the allegedly stolen alcohol with police aiming to return goods back to the rightful businesses.
