John-Paul Drake blasts alleged shoplifters’ birthday present ruse at northern suburbs supermarkets

Outspoken supermarket boss John-Paul Drake has accused a cunning couple of stealing hundreds of dollars’ worth of meat — using a bizarre birthday present ruse.

Outspoken supermarket boss John-Paul Drake has lashed out at two brazen alleged shoplifters’ outlandish acts, accusing them of disguising hundreds of dollars’ worth of prime meat cuts under fake birthday presents.

Mr Drake, the director of Drakes supermarkets, claimed the man and woman had been involved in alleged theft on five different occasions in the past month, across stores at Gawler, Gawler East, Salisbury North, Clovercrest and Golden Grove.

“With my birthday just around the corner, I honestly thought they were trying to deliver me a present,” Mr Drake said.

“Imagine my disappointment when they were making products disappear instead.”

Footage shared by Mr Drake shows a woman enter the store with what appears to be a large box covered in wrapping paper, with a bow on top, inside her trolley.

The woman can be seen walking through the store before meeting a man, whose own trolley is full of what appear to be cuts of meat.

Drakes supermarkets boss John-Paul Drake has alleged that a man and a woman stole hundreds of dollars’ worth of meat in a brazen theft. Picture: Instagram

Mr Drake accused a couple of using a fake present to hide stolen groceries in his stores. Picture: Instagram

She is filmed then placing the large box over the top of the meat, disguising it, before walking out through the check-out lane.

Another clip shows the woman entering a different store with another box, this time with balloons tied to it.

Mr Drake said he had reported the incidents to SA Police who, using crime intelligence platform Auror — a surveillance system that shares data between retailers and police to crack down on theft — can link the alleged offenders to incidents at other retailers, if there are any.

There is no suggestion the pair has been accused of any wrongdoing at any other stores.

Latest crime statistics showed a 29 per cent increase in retail theft compared to the same time last year, believed to be linked to increased cost of living pressures and higher reporting numbers.

Mr Drake said he had seen a surge in theft, but did not believe it was due to the cost of living crisis. Picture: Brenton Edwards

Mr Drake said he had seen a surge in shoplifting — but didn’t believe it was by people struggling to put food on the table.

“We’re seeing an increase in the theft of high-priced items such as premium cuts of meat and health and beauty lines, and people are definitely getting more brazen and creative with their methods,” he said.

“These aren’t products being shoplifted by people who can’t feed their families, but by people who are selling or exchanging the products for personal gain.”

Last week, Shop Distributive and Allied Employees Association secretary Josh Peak said the union, which represents 33,000 workers across the state, remained “highly concerned” about the retail theft rates.

Mr Peak said the union would continue to push for reform to deliver stronger protections for retail workers.

“What we’re particularly concerned about is the real brazen nature of stealing,” he said.

“We’re seeing, sometimes, a trolley full of goods being wheeled out of supermarkets and department stores, and swarming events where people are not at all being hesitant to show their face or hide the fact they’re stealing.”

Originally published as John-Paul Drake blasts alleged shoplifters’ birthday present ruse at northern suburbs supermarkets