FOR Jo Gansberg from the Boyanup General Store dealing with stealing is all in a day’s work.
When a customer hastily returned to the shop last week, just moments after departing, Mrs Gansberg feared the worst.
“I could see from her distress that something really serious had happened,” she said. “So it was no surprise to hear her car had been stripped of several packages of newly purchased clothing.”
All of the items of clothing had been black, with some white trimming, for a family of six to wear to a grandmother’s funeral to be held in Bunbury two days later.
Mrs Gansberg immediately went to review closed circuit television footage from security cameras.
Watch the CCTV footage below.
“We watched the whole episode from start to finish,” she said. “It’s all there, with the car, faces and the stealing act.”
According to footage, the victim parked her car in the space closest to the store. After she entered the shop a white Holden Commodore pulled up alongside the first and a female was seen alighting and also entering the shop.
The driver of that vehicle and another passenger remained in the car – until the driver decided to get out and smoke a cigarette. She is then seen walking around her car and looking into the adjoining car.
On seeing packages on the back seat she very quickly opens the car door and in a matter of seconds is seen removing all the items, placing them into her own car.
She then drives from the car park to the bush area across Bridge Street, a short distance of about 80m. When the woman’s passenger exits the shop she can be seen walking to the area where she had been dropped off, only to find the car had been moved to the bush area. As soon as she is on board, the car takes off.
Since installing security cameras on the premises nearly six years ago, the store owners report receiving one disappointment after another with the sightings of people stealing.
“We had an inclination that some youngsters were pilfering and the day after we installed the cameras we saw the proof of our suspicions,” Mrs Gansberg said.
“Since that time we’ve seen some pretty revealing sights that would well and truly shock the public. We believe people need to be made accountable for their actions and should not get away with stealing from anyone.”
CCTV footage was made available to a local television station as well as the Bunbury Police Station in the hope that the culprit can be recognised.
The public has been asked to contact Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000 if they can assist with information.
