Gold Coast crime news: Shoplifters Alicia Jane Larsen-Smith, Hannah Sofia Louise Millott and Daniel Langanis
A retail industry boss is calling for harsher penalties and more police resources to crack down on a ‘significant increase’ in shoplifting since the pandemic. COAST SHOPLIFTERS NAMED
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A retail industry boss is calling for harsher penalties and more police resources to crack down on a “significant increase” in shoplifting since the Covid pandemic.
It’s so bad one Gold Coast retailer has been forced to take matters into her own hands by naming and shaming alleged sticky fingered thieves on social media.
Australian Association of Convenience Stores CEO Theo Foukkare said there had been a rise in reported shoplifting incidents from retailers since Covid.
But it was difficult to totally quantify the increase due to the nature of the crime with incidents often not reported, he said.
“In uncertain times, people react differently and a lot of retail staff were being abused by customers during the pandemic for a whole host of reasons from checking mask wearing to checking vaccination status,” Mr Foukkare said.
“Given that the number of incidents of abuse from customers increased, a lot of retailers were under more pressure.”
Mr Foukkare said this added pressure meant retail workers were more focused on enforcing Covid measures than preventing shoplifting.
“Whenever we have petty theft it is very difficult to get a police response and when there is a response, they require staff members to go to the police station to make a formal statement,” Mr Foukkare said.
“It can take up to two hours by the time they collate video footage from the security system, then go to the police station to report it and come back.
“Most of our members have invested in security systems to be able to identify these thieves and the thing is, it comes back to a matter of prioritisation given the lack of police resourcing.
“When a police officer has 30 things to do that day and he’s dealing with domestic violence or armed robbery - that takes priority and we get pushed down the bottom of the list.”
But Mr Foukkare said the frequency and losses associated with it added up over time.
“If it is a youth offender or a teenager, you’ve got to try to stop them when they’re young because they turn into serial shoplifters," he said.
“It turns from them committing petty crime to major crimes as they grow older.”
The retail boss called for tougher penalties and more police resources to deter the crims.
“When the police are on the beat, the shoplifters are on edge,” he said.
Gold Coast retailer Danielle Patmore, who owns Sexy World adult stores, said they had a “wall of shame” for shoplifters and posted photos and videos of alleged incidents online.
“I’m a bit of a pitbull and we always find our shoplifters,” Ms Patmore said.
“We turn them into social media stars and their family and friends do see the footage.”
She said shoplifting was a common problem at her stores and even when thieves were caught, she would rarely be able to recoup the losses.
“It’s a bit of a slap in the face,” Ms Patmore said.
Gold Coast Central Chamber of Commerce president Martin Hall said: “(Police) have been stretched every which way since Covid. Maybe now we can expect an increased police presence which will only help business confidence,” he said.
“(Shoplifting) is just another facet that makes the art of doing business even harder.”
A police spokeswoman said crime figures, including shop theft, fluctuated from year to year and can be impacted by a range of issues.
“It is important that shop owners remain vigilant and take measures to minimise these types of
offences,” she said.
“This can include the installation of CCTV cameras and mirrors; training staff to watch for theft; awareness of at-risk items and by maintaining high levels of engagement with customers.
“Police proactively provide crime prevention advice to the community at retail precincts across the state.”
Gold Coast shoplifters and how they were caught:
Alicia Jane Larsen-Smith - 2018
A serial shoplifter and mum of four used her pram to conceal hundreds of dollars in stolen goods, including a $500 Dyson vacuum cleaner, after hitting seven different stores.
Alicia Jane Larsen-Smith covered her face and pushed a baby in a her pram as she left Southport Magistrates Court, where she pleaded guilty to seven stealing charges in 2018.
The “pram bandit” was sentenced to three months jail, which was suspended for an operational period of nine months.
Magistrate Donald MacKenzie did not order Larsen-Smith to pay compensation due to her dire financial situation.
“I do so with reluctance because I have a great deal of sympathy for businesses (targeted by shoplifters),” he said.
Most of the items were clothes. Larsen-Smith claimed she stole them because she did not have access to a washing machine.
Larsen-Smith began her theft spree six months earlier when she walked into Target at Westfield in Helensvale in mid-October 2017, taking a number of items of baby’s clothes and bottles before putting them in a black-bag in her pram.
Police prosecutor Senior Constable Matt Brooks said Larsen-Smith made no attempt to pay as she left the store.
Larsen-Smith was captured on CCTV about 2.15pm on October 10, 2017 removing security tags from a number of shirts at Lacoste at Harbour Town Shopping Centre before placing them in her pram.
Months later on January 29, 2018 Larsen-Smith brazenly walked into Big W at Mt Gravatt, Brisbane, placed a $499 vacuum cleaner on top of the pram and walked out of the store without paying.
She also took more than $200 in gift packs from Lush on the same day.
Sen-Const. Brooks said that on March 7, 2018 Larsen-Smith went to three stores in Westfield Helensvale — Supre, Cotton On and Valley girl — and took a number of clothes and walked from the stores without paying.
She stashed the clothes in her car.
Larsen-Smith was caught attempting to do the same at Target.
She led police to the stolen clothes in her car.
Defence lawyer Jessie Challal, of Legal Aid Queensland, said Larsen-Smith was leaving an abusive relationship and had moved to the Gold Coast from northern NSW in an effort to start afresh.
No conviction recorded
Hannah Sofia Louise Millott - 2019
A dancer with more than 80,000 Instagram followers shoplifted earrings and “miscellaneous items” from Victoria’s Secret and Lovisa at a Gold Coast shopping centre.
Hannah Sofia Louise Millott was also caught in possession of the drug ice which she told police she was holding on to for some friends, a court was told.
She pleaded guilty in the Southport Magistrates Court in 2019 to dangerous drug possession and two counts of unauthorised dealing with shop goods.
Police prosecutor Donn Reid said Millott was searched on May 29 at Pacific Fair Shopping Centre following reports of a shoplifter.
Three capsules each containing a small amount of crystal substance were found in her bag.
“She believed they (were) meth,” Mr Reid said.
“She went to say she rented a unit and her friends left (the drugs) there and she was going to return it.
“She said she understood it was a dangerous drug and it was an offence to be have possession of them.”
Millott stole five sets of earrings from Lovisa and a “variety of items” from Victoria’s Secret, the court was told.
Magistrate Dermot Kehoe fined Millott $700.
No conviction was recorded.
Daniel Langanis - 2020
A southeast Queensland social media influencer who spent his time relaxing in infinity pools, staying in expensive Gold Coast hotels and partying at exclusive clubs appeared in court for stealing groceries.
Daniel Langanis, who comes from a prominent, well-off family, pleaded guilty in Holland Park Magistrates Court in 2020 to one charge of shoplifting.
He was placed on a six-month, $300 good behaviour bond. No conviction was recorded.
The incident occurred at about 4.50pm at Woolworths Garden City at Upper Mount Gravatt. Langanis was captured on CCTV footage leaving the store with $91.80 worth of groceries, including chicken thighs, Skittles and Milo.
The court heard that when he was caught, Langanis told police he “could have paid (for the groceries) but didn’t”.
Langanis told the court it was a “stupid mistake”.
“It wasn’t a mistake, you’ve made a decision,” Magistrate Simon Young corrected him.
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