Shoplifting mother and daughter caught

HARARE – A Greystone Park woman was caught stealing groceries at spar First Street Branch. Alice Frank and her teenage daughter were nabbed and made to reveal where they got the loot.

It seems they had a penchant for Spar goodies as she revealed that her daughter had stolen some of the loot at Spar Kamfinsa Branch.

“This is my first time stealing in here. I only stole the chicken feet and vegetable seeds. Some of these things came with my daughter from kamfinsa Spar,” she said.

Asked how they conduct their trade, pilfering the groceries unnoticed, Alice said; “I use my purse. I will put the items in the purse and go out and empty them in a bigger bag that will be outside.”

It was however, a black day for them as an alert internal security person in the busy retail outlet managed to apprehend her. Alice who is currently in custody has two minor children (twins) two weeks old, according to her and stealing is a way of making ends meet, claiming her husband had ditched her.

“I had to steal to make ends meet. My husband went to Zambia when I was pregnant and up to date he has not returned. Some of these things are not stolen, they were given to my daughter by my brother” she said.

Among the loot was cooking oil, peanut butter, powdered milk, rice, jam and clothing wares. She left some of the onlookers in stitches when she said she has been ‘resting’ for the past weeks, nursing operation wounds. She however could not explain what leave she was on, presumably ‘stealing’ leave.

The shop’s branch manager said that they have been experiencing these thefts and it has been affecting their business. He revealed that some of the employees have been fired due to such happenings.

He added that cooking oil, powdered milk, cerelac, protex soap were some of the things on high demand with shoplifters, the majority of whom are women.