Elizabeth PharmaSave uses online post to track down alleged thief amid theft surge

Battling with a surge of shoplifters, this pharmacy has had enough – guilting alleged thieves online and trying to recoup their losses. But is it okay to do? Vote in our poll.

A South Australian chemist chain has started taking policing measures into their own hands, heading to social media to track down alleged thieves, and warn others about them.

The move comes after a 12-month period defined by the business operations manager Kristy Rudd as the worst they had experienced.

Ms Rudd, who works across eight stores in the state, posted still CCTV images of a woman and her car claiming she had stolen a bagful of cosmetics and non-necessities from the Elizabeth PharmaSave store.

It was not the first time the pharmacy has taken to social media asking for help after thefts, but came as a result of reaching the end of the tether.

“This kind of thing is happening on a weekly or fortnightly basis,” Ms Rudd said.

PharmaSave business development manager Kristy Rudd with Elizabeth pharmacist Danny. Picture: Brinley Duggan

CCTV footage posted by the Elizabeth Pharmacy. Picture: Facebook

CCTV footage posted by the Elizabeth Pharmacy. Picture: Facebook

“And it’s increased more in the past 12 months.

“Theft costs us a substantial amount every year.”

The pharmacy has operated in the area, as well as other parts of Adelaide for several years, and had extended their opening hours until 10pm to provide an after-hours chemist service.

Continued theft, Ms Rudd said, would mean extended hours would no longer be financially viable.

Ms Rudd said taking to social media in such a public display was not something they “like to do”, but they had achieved success in the past with perpetrators coming back into the store to pay for the goods, and with warning others of serial offenders.

She said not every theft was posted online, but drew the line at “a grown woman is walking around the store filling up a bag with cosmetic items and walking straight out”.

“This isn’t about causing further embarrassment or discrimination, it’s literally about exposure and giving an opportunity for the person to pay for it,” she said.

“We’ve had success with people paying it back before, but it also acts as a deterrence and warns other businesses down the road.”

Ms Rudd said alleged thefts from her stores were reported to police, but a torrent of shoplifting instances meant it could be time-consuming and often a result would not be achieved for several months.

But SA Police warned businesses to be cautious when seeking vigilante justice through posting their own CCTV, encouraging reporting any instances authorities to “thoroughly investigate”.

“We understand how frustrating and costly shop theft is for businesses, and we encourage business owners to report shop theft to police on every occasion,” a spokesman said.

“Businesses should seek advice from police or their own legal advice before releasing CCTV so as not to jeopardise criminal proceedings.”