’They cased the place’: Store owner hits out at thieves
Seaforth General Store owner offers theory on how two people gained entry into his shop
Police & Courts
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A CORNER store owner whose shop was broken into at the weekend believes the men responsible cased the premises before stealing thousands of dollars worth of stock.
Seaforth General Store owner Rodger Sharp says the way two people, caught on security cameras, broke into the shop indicated they knew their way around.
Footage shows the pair inside about 2.50am Sunday.
But Mr Sharp does not believe it to be an inside job and is now reviewing the footage in an effort to identify them and pass on information to police.
"Little bastards, I didn't get down here in time but they knew what they were doing," Mr Sharp said.
Footage shows two people - one with a bandaged right leg and who was limping - park a tray back ute at the rear of the George St store and walk past the back door.
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The pair gained entry through another door leading into the coolroom where they moved stock from shelves to get to a glass door.
They forced their way through that door and got inside the shop, stealing about $8000 in cigarettes before fleeing.
Mr Sharp said the break-in lasted about 90 seconds, and he was alerted once they had gotten into the shop.
"I think they cased the place," he said.
"I've got to go through the footage to try and recognise them because they were wearing hoodies and masks."
He believed the distinctive bandage on one of the men's legs could help identify them, and had a theory they could possibly be linked to a break and enter at Calen last week.
Mr Sharp said in that break-in, a man fell from a window and could have injured his leg, requiring a bandage.
The incident was reported to police who are now investigating.
Mr Sharp said he lived just down the road from the shop and raced to the store on receiving a call from a security company, but the pair had already fled.
He said it was the first time the store had been broken into in the nine years he had owned it.
"Once they got in the coolroom the alarm went off and I immediately got a phone call," he said.
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"My wife was watching the footage on her phone while I was running out the door and she's yelled out that it was actually someone inside.
"Occasionally we get a lizard or something."
Mr Sharp said he believed the rising cost of cigarettes was a possible driver behind business break-ins.
"The government needs to stop putting up the cost of smokes," he said.
"Every time they go up, people go into cars to pinch money for smokes.
"I'd like to flog the sh-- out of them, put 'em in a public place to everyone can see 'em."