Sayed-Akbar Amini: Coles baby formula thief pictured
A man alleged to be part of a major baby formula theft syndicate has been revealed in court as his lawyer argued there was a different ‘mentality of the law’ in his homeland.
North Shore
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A baby formula thief who stole more than $400 worth of the product from Coles has been slammed by a magistrate for “feeding the black market.”
Sayed-Akbar Amini, 53, from Auburn, showed no emotion as he faced his sentence at Hornsby Local Court on Wednesday.
After an unsuccessful mental health application on the last occasion, Amini pleaded guilty to one charge of larceny.
His arrest followed a joint operation between NSW Police, Coles and Woolworths into the stolen tins of baby formula last year.
Amini was monitored by police from last September to October where he was seen to frequent “several Coles and Woolworths retail stores throughout Sydney,” according to police facts.
His larceny charge related specifically to an incident last October where he was caught on CCTV wearing a surgical mask and fedora hat as he entered Coles St Ives with an empty shopping cart.
Police allege he loaded up 15 baby formula tins of Aptamil Gold, Bellamys, A2 Platinum infant formula, and Karicare A2 protein infant formula, before leaving the store in a car rental.
“Police have credible intelligence and information to suggest that the accused with co-offenders are responsible for a large ongoing and highly organised criminal syndicate involved in stealing infant formula from supermarkets to on-sell for a profit to businesses,” according to police facts.
In court, his lawyer Behrooz Ehsani told the court Amini was originally from Afghanistan where there was “a different mentality of the law”.
Yet magistrate Robyn Denes interjected and said: “I think most people know you don’t take things that don’t belong to you.”
In sentencing, the magistrate said it was a “serious matter” because he was part of an alleged criminal syndicate.
“I read in the facts police were concerned because you were part of a bigger organisation that is involved in stealing baby formula,” the magistrate said.
“It is a very unusual thing for you to be stealing. It’s clearly not something you need for your own use.
“You’re feeding black market of baby formula.”
Amini was convicted and sentenced to an 18-month community corrections order.
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