‘She was so confident’: Renegade Handmade reeling from $900+ theft

A beloved Currajong shop full of locally made candles, soaps and gifts is reeling after a woman allegedly stole $955 worth of items in a matter of minutes.

Renegade Handmade store owner Karissa Chase. Ms Chase’s store was allegedly hit with a $955 theft on Wednesday during trading hours. Picture: Zak Simmonds

A small Currajong shop full of locally made candles, soaps and gifts is reeling after a woman allegedly stole $955 worth of items in a matter of minutes.

Renegade Handmade owner Karissa Chase said the craziest thing was how the woman was “so confident” as she went around the store.

“She just walked in and within 15 seconds she had something in her bag,” Ms Chase said.

“She went around touching everything. She was so confident, it definitely wasn’t her first time.”

The extent of the woman’s alleged activities on Wednesday were discovered by the store when they watched her later on CCTV footage.

CCTV footage of the woman who allegedly stole $955 worth of goods from Renegade Handmade in Otto's Market Warrina complex.

“She was putting items in her pockets and her bag,” Ms Chase said.

“It was $955 worth of items. That’s a massive hit for a small store that is locally run and I will be paying all that back to the makers out of my own pocket.”

Renegade Handmade stocks items from local craftspeople — typically valuable goods like perfumes, candles, soaps, and jewellery.

Ms Chase said the theft was discovered on Thursday morning when a stockist noticed an empty box of jewellery.

“The box was there but the jewellery was gone. So I had to go back through the footage to find the point where it disappeared,” she said.

“That’s when I noticed her and as I watched, it just blew my mind.”

Renegade Handmade store owner Karissa Chase. The shop is stocked full of goods made by local craftspeople who sell through Ms Chase’s storefront.

Ms Chase said she needed to buy a new screen from JB-Hifi in order to zoom in on the footage and list the items she stole.

“When I went to file the police report they wanted a list of everything she stole,” Ms Chase said.

“So I had to go through it all while I’m also busy working and serving customers.”

After logging the entire shoplifted stock, the eye-watering price tag of $955 finally came to light.

A CCTV still of the woman was posted online by Ms Chase on Thursday, captioned “Ma’am, I think you’d best visit my store tomorrow, because I’ve got a lot, A LOT of footage of you. Imagine doing that to a collective of small local makers.”

When contacted by the Townsville Bulletin on Friday, Ms Chase said she’s since spoken with people who know the woman and informed her they identified her to the police.

The woman is from out of town, according to Ms Chase.

Queensland Police said the theft was reported to them on Friday.

“Police are investigating reports of a theft from a Currajong business on Wednesday, August 23,” a police spokesperson said.

“Initial information indicates around 12pm an unknown offender entered a shop on Illuka Street before taking a number of items including clothing and jewellery. Investigations are continuing, anyone with information is urged to contact police.”

Renegade Handmade can be found within the Otto’s Market Warrina complex, open Monday to Friday (9am to 4pm) and weekends (9am to 3pm).
As of print, no charges have been laid.

Originally published as ‘She was so confident’: Renegade Handmade reeling from $900+ theft