Organised crime groups are behind huge hauls of stolen items bolstering the South Australian black market

Organised crime groups are stealing bulk quantities of everyday items including pet food and groceries, fuelling South Australia’s black market of stolen goods.

Organised groups stealing bulk quantities of items to sell on the black market for discounted rates or exchange for drugs are behind a rise in large hauls of stolen goods.

Operation Measure co-ordinator Inspector Julian Coram said police were aware of some people committing shop thefts in South Australia to onsell the merchandise.

Large hauls of items including meat, alcohol and power tools were among the goods identified as being a type of “theft to order” offending.

“While most people probably immediately think of high-end goods like designer bags, clothing, sportswear or sunglasses, they might be surprised to learn that other everyday items are also finding a black-market, such as alcohol, grocery items, meat and cosmetics,” he said.

“Anyone thinking of purchasing these stolen goods should think twice; not only could it lead to criminal charges, but there are no consumer protections when buying stolen merchandise.

“You have no idea if the product has been stored incorrectly or contaminated.”

A 61-year-old man and two women aged 58 and 38 from an Elizabeth Grove home were reported for trafficking in a controlled drug and unlawful possession. Investigations are continuing. Picture: SA Police

Police on March 28 arrested a man and woman following extended investigations into the theft of alcohol and pet food from retail outlets after a raid in the Elizabeth region.

Northern District officers seized more than 800kg of cat food and 200 litres of alcohol.

A number of small bags of cannabis, and other grocery items police suspect to be stolen, were also found.

Three people were reported for trafficking in a controlled drug and unlawful possession.

Investigations are continuing.

Inspector Coram said police were aware there were a “number of people who are quite organised who steal to order”.

Officers from Northern District seized more than 800kg of cat food and 200 litres of various bottles of alcohol in a raid of an Elizabeth Grove home on March 28. Picture: SA Police

“We’ve been running Operation Measure for two years and during that time we’ve had a number of people responsible for a series (of thefts),” he said.

“We nominate via intelligence work – so we know who is committing repeated acts of theft or violence against retail workers – so we will target that person and their offending.

“We will collate all of the offending to one series, then arrest them.

“It’s not just for one or two (thefts) but could be 30, 40, up to 200 offences all at once.

“That’s the sort of behaviour we’re targeting but we’ve seen liquor, meat, toys, clothes – you name it, we have seen it onsold.”

A number of small bags of cannabis were also located together with additional grocery items suspected to be stolen. Picture: SA Police

Inspector Coram said a person had been charged after stealing four Ikea flatpack wardrobes on a trolley and walking out of the store.

Another person was busted stealing a 70 inch TV from Big W.

“It’s the big things – and how brazen you must be to wheel a 70-inch TV out over a fire escape, or a whole shopping trolley of stuff,” he said.

Police have tracked stolen goods being sold interstate, and large hauls locally including high-end meat cuts to supply a restaurant in Adelaide.

“We’ve also identified liquor that has gone to other outlets so there is an element of that, but there is also the exchange of high-value items for drugs and other things as well,” he said.

He said covert shoppers recorded a person fill a bag with premium meat cuts, leave the store and sell to another person around the corner for a discounted price.

“We had someone who stole a series of high-end champagne and high-end bottles of Grange and obviously that wasn’t for personal consumption because of the value,” he said.

“We have seen it but it’s not hugely common.

“Usually the liquor thefts are individual, they’ll go in and steal individual bottles.

“We have had a series where groups have gone in and stolen armfuls of bottles at once.”

It comes as retail theft increased 30 per cent in 2023, and a police crackdown on offenders amid an escalation in violence against shop workers.