Two men have stolen $7,000 worth of seafood overnight from a SA butcher

A popular butcher shop has captured CCTV footage of two men breaking into a cool room trailer stealing thousands of dollars worth of seafood, days out from Christmas.

In a move the Christmas Grinch would be proud of, two thieves have nicked about $7,000 worth of seafood from a butcher in Mount Gambier on Thursday night.

The popular South Australia business captured CCTV footage of two men breaking into a cool room trailer at the Collins Court Butcher on December 21, just days out from Christmas.

In the CCTV footage, two men are seen approaching the trailer around 11.15pm, when one of the men break the door open on the trailer with a crowbar.

As the door is flung open, both men rush inside before they reappear carrying boxes and bags of meat and seafood.

Two men have stolen about $7000 of seafood from a Mount Gambier butchery. Picture: Supplied.

Over the next three hours, the men continue to load up on the stolen goods.

Throughout the robbery, the suspects are seen exiting the camera’s field of view by walking behind a stock crate.

Store owner Mick Lamond said the men were likely sorting the stock and putting it into a vehicle.

Mr Lamond told NCA NewsWire he believes the culprits to be “locals to the area”.

When staff arrived to work on Friday morning, Mr Lamond said there was nothing out of the ordinary.

It wasn’t until they opened the trailer, they realised they have been robbed.

“The trailer was locked when I left (on Thursday night) so when we opened it up this morning I just thought ‘what on earth is going on?” said Mr Lamond.

Mick Lamond has been a butcher for more than 18 years, and has never such a brazen attack on his business before. Picture: Supplied.

With the butcher only using the cooler trailer during busy times for extra storage, like Christmas, customers have been left baffled by the brazen acts of the two suspects.

“Karma will come in the shape of excessive food poisoning, cause who can store such a large amount of seafood at the correct temperature,” one person wrote on the store’s Facebook page.

Another added: “Hopefully they’re allergic to seafood”.

With a busy few days ahead of him, Mr Lamond said “it’s business as usual” while the team pushes on to meet their customers Christmas orders.

“When it first happened, we were lucky enough to round up enough stock to replace what’s been stolen,” he said.

“Customers have been understanding if we’re short on something”.

Seafood is very popular with Aussies at Christmas time with 120 tonnes of prawns estimated to be purchased by consumers this year. Picture: NCA NewsWire/ Seb Haggett.

One thing that remains in short supply for the butchery is green prawns, with those whose orders have been impacted offered whole cooked king prawns instead.

Mr Lamond said he estimates the amount to have been stolen to sit between $5,000 and $7,000 dollars.

“We’ve reported it to police and the investigation is still continuing,” said Mr Lamond.

A spokesperson from South Australia police told NCA NewsWire investigations on the theft of a large amount of mean and seafood was underway.

“Sometime between 11pm on Thursday 21 December and 2.15am on Friday 22 December, two male suspects have stolen meat and seafood from a butcher store on Jubilee Highway West”.

“Anyone with information is asked to call Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000”.

The brazen heist comes as the Christmas rush is officially begins on Saturday in the inner-city Sydney suburb, Pyrmont.

Hundreds were seen getting in early to pick up their fresh seafood at Sydney Fish Markets.

More than 100,000 shoppers are expected to head to the docks during the 36-hour marathon shopping race.

Across the next 36 hours, over 350 tonnes of seafood will be sold, including 120 tonnes of prawns and about 70,000 oysters.

The 36-Hour Seafood Marathon sees Sydney Fish Market retailers open their doors for 36 hours straight, from 5am on the 23rd of December, to 5pm on Christmas Eve. Picture: NCA NewsWire/ Seb Haggett.

Originally published as Two men have stolen $7,000 worth of seafood overnight from a SA butcher