Local booze thieves escaping punishment

RIFE: A security camera image of an alleged thief leaving Dan Murphy's Corio last month with an unpaid slab of beer.

How bald-faced can one be?
A young male was recently seen being escorted out of a local supermarket by staff.
His offence: knocking off a bottle of whisky, not once but twice, within an hour or so, from the same supermarket
Just how many retailers in and around Geelong have he and his mates stolen from and over what period?
The problem is that most retailers won’t go through the hassle of charging people like him, knowing that the penalty will only be a smack on the back of his hand.
The police also have higher priorities than following up reports of such petty thefts.
He’ll be back again; so much for the interest of shareholders and the buying public who bear the cost of theft via higher prices.
Michael J Gamble,
Belmont.