Police allege crime syndicate raided supermarket warehouses, trucks and resold goods
Police have busted a crime syndicate they allege targeted supermarket warehouses and trucks in Melbourne’s west, stealing goods ordered up by a number of small retailers.
Police & Courts
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Members of an alleged crime syndicate that involved several small businesses have been arrested for stealing and selling nearly $300,000 worth of goods from major supermarket chains.
A police investigation found the group had allegedly broken into warehouses and trucks of major retail chains where they would steal products to sell at a cheaper price.
Nine people have been arrested and police expect to make more arrests.
Many of the goods were then allegedly delivered to businesses in Melbourne’s west, which police say requested specific items for the syndicate to steal.
Police found more than $35,000 worth of allegedly stolen cosmetics, baby formula and medication at a home in Sunshine North.
More than $10,000 worth of allegedly stolen vitamins, baby formula, beauty products and cigarettes were also found at a St Albans business in September.
Alarm was first raised when police found two men stealing a B-Double truck carrying more than $240,000 worth of wine at Truganina in Melbourne’s west in June.
Both Coles and Woolworths have major distribution centres at Truganina.
The alleged wine thieves were among seven people charged for their alleged involvement in the syndicate.
North West Metro regional crime squad, Acting Superintendent Rhonda Brown warned small businesses not to be roped in by schemes that sound “too good to be true”.
“What started out as one seizure led to the disruption of an alleged organised crime syndicate making thousands off stolen goods,” she said.
“We suspect this business was lucrative and funding further criminal activities.
“But our detectives didn’t just stop there – they continued investigating the receivers of these goods and have now returned a substantial amount of product back to the rightful businesses.
“We hope this serves as a reminder to small businesses who are tempted to buy cheaper products from unregistered providers.”
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