FAST, FURIOUS SHOPLIFTING SYNDICATE HITS SHOPS

LAVUMISA – A syndicate of shoplifters is alleged to be using aggressive tactics to pull off the shelves large amounts of goods within minutes once they hit a shop.

The gang, which is believed to be from the Manzini Region, has become a menace to retailers throughout the kingdom. Information gathered was that the gang moves around the country and plunder, goods from shops in a very systemic and professional way.
The shoplifters, who travel in groups of not less than four, have been described as very cunning.

Damage

According to Lavumisa businessman Vincent Mcintyre, the gang can get in and out of a shop in five minutes, but the damage would be very huge.
Just recently, the gang struck at Ok MMark in the small border town and made away with stock worth over E2 000 in just five minutes. The shoplifting operation was exposed by a CCTV footage which was taken from the supermarket.

In the footage, four women are seen moving around the shop carrying empty baskets, which are never filled with anything yet the people are seen taking some items off the shelves.

To distract the attention of security, the women usually surround one member of the gang who would then stuff underneath her clothes as much goods as she could carry, while the other members act as lookouts. Then it would be another member’s turn until they are all satisfied with their loot. At the Lavumisa supermarket, the group of women were seen stealing selected products like shoe polish, powdered milk and 2litres of OROS juice, all in five minutes.

It is suspected that the culprits wear special type of clothing or use something to avoid being detected by security systems as they go for the exit to load up their loot in a car. The goods are believed to be sold off cheaply to readily available buyers who then sell the items in the streets and to unsuspecting commuters in public transport vehicles.

Footage

After viewing the CCTV footage from the Lavumisa shop, this reporter approached several other retail outlets who also confirmed knowledge of the prowling shoplifting syndicates.
The thieves are said to hit several shops located in the same town in a single day.

“They are such a menace. At some point, we even teamed up with other retailers and distributed pictures of known suspects in a bid to catch the culprits,” said a manager of a clothing outlet in Nhlangano. Other interviewed retailers also said they were aware of the marauding gangs. In a bid to mitigate the damage caused by the syndicate, many have decided to invest in CCTVs and product protection systems.

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