Shop Lifter Times

The latest in an occasional series...

In the midst of all the other crap going on this week we had a visitation of 'shop lifters' yesterday in the way biblical Egypt had a visitation of locusts.

In, out, in, out. ad almost infinitum.

The first time the woman got out with a load of something we suspect to have been packaged fresh meat under her jumper and in a back pack. We got a good description from the member of staff who spotted her and followed her some of the way from the shop.

Less than an hour later a second incident, spotted not only by staff but by civic-minded customers who then actually returned to tell us where the thief and her cohort had gone in the side streets of the main road.

Police called both times as well as internal security. Point made to the latter that since they've not bothered to come down and fix the CCTV system (blown by a power surge on Saturday) we've no coverage AT ALL in or around the store and no images to offer as proof - and no security either uniformed or otherwise to compensate.

Armed with a good description of our gang of three we watched. Thanks to the third visit we became aware that they're swapping clothes, possibly to throw us off the scent. We caught a young female attempting to leave the store with three more joints (value approx. £8-10 a piece). In the tussle she dropped one which we carefully picked up and put in the fridge against it being of interest to the police. We called them again.

The fourth visit we know about happened at about 19:00, by which time it had grown dark and become a lot colder and the one who came in did so wearing a black leather jacket of which I'm rather envious. She probably nicked it; I probably couldn't afford it.

I followed her as far as the main road, watched her cross it and disappear into the gloom. I elected to go back to the store rather than follow her into the unknown. We're not sure what she took.

The police came when we called them about this last visit, but not before calling on the suspects. There was no evidence of the stolen goods found at their abode so the police could do nothing. The suspects well known to the authorities, as they say, and are currently squatting in premises from which, in legal terms at least, they've been evicted. They're also due in court later this week to answer certain charges. Hopefully, then, they'll be gone again soon.

Exciting, or what? Thought so.