A Springvale woman is among 19 arrested over what Victoria Police says is one of the largest organised retail theft syndicates dismantled in recent years.
Operation Supanova say that the group stole more than $10 million of baby formula, medicines, vitamins, skincare products, electric toothbrushes and toiletries were stolen across Melbourne.
Most of the arrested group were Indian nationals on temporary, student, or bridging visas.
They are alleged to be working in a coordinated network to supply stolen goods to ‘receivers’, who then on-sell the products to end users for profit, police say.
On 12 August, Greater Dandenong CIU, supported by Box Hill Divisional Response Unit detectives arrested an alleged ‘receiver’ during a raid in Springvale
Police allegedly recovered more than $25,000 worth of stolen goods.
A 54-year-old Springvale woman was charged with 30 counts of handlng stolen goods.
She was bailed to appear at Dandenong Magistrates’ Court on 4 December.
In other arrests in July and August, six men of no fixed addresses were each accused of over stealing more than $37,000 of items.
Several faced dozens of charges, allegedly stealing more than $100,000 worth of goods each.
Further arrests are expected, police say.
“This has been one of the most significant operations we’ve undertaken in recent times to target organised retail theft,” Detective Acting Inspector Rachele Ciavarella of Victoria Police’s eastern region said.
“We will allege this syndicate are not only stealing for themselves, but they are part of a coordinated criminal enterprise profiting from stolen goods.
“By working with major retailers, we’ve been able to identify alleged offenders quickly and build a strong intelligence picture, allowing us to target the right people at the right time.”
Retail theft is one of the fastest-growing crimes in Victoria, with 41,270 offences recorded in the past year – a 38 per cent increase state-wide, police say.
Any information on organised shop theft or the on-selling of stolen goods to Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000 or crimestoppersvic.com.au
