Victoria Police have arrested seven people and seized more than $125,000 worth of allegedly stolen goods in a major operation targeting an alleged retail theft syndicate operating in Melbourne’s north-west – with alcohol confirmed as the most commonly stolen item.
The arrests come amid a surge in retail crime across Victoria, with thefts rising by almost 40 per cent in the past year. Police say organised shoplifting groups are targeting high-value items including alcohol, beauty, and health products, then on-selling them for profit.
It will be alleged the syndicate stole more than $320,000 worth of goods from major retailers across Melbourne throughout 2025.
During a search warrant executed on Wednesday 25 June at a bottle shop on Main Road, St Albans, detectives from the North West Metro Regional Crime Squad seized more than $100,000 worth of allegedly stolen alcohol – including whiskey and spirits – alongside illicit tobacco, cigarettes, vapes and a baton.
The volume of seized goods was so large that police had to hire a van to transport them.
A 32-year-old St Albans man, identified as the owner of the bottle shop, was arrested and charged with handling stolen goods, negligently dealing with property suspected of being the proceeds of crime, and possessing a prohibited weapon. He was bailed to appear before Sunshine Magistrates’ Court on 12 September.
North West Metro Regional Crime Squad Acting Detective Sergeant Jethro Carbines said the group’s motivation was purely financial.
“Organised retail syndicates aren’t stealing to put food on the table – it is purely profit driven,” he said.
“A lot of the time thieves are using the profits to purchase illegal drugs which further fuels the illicit drug trade.
“These arrests are a timely reminder for organised syndicates that while you might get away with large thefts in the moment, it won’t be long until police are knocking on your door.”
The warrant follows a broader investigation that has already led to five other arrests and the recovery of $25,000 worth of allegedly stolen beauty products earlier this month.
Those arrested include:
- A 45-year-old man, of no fixed address, allegedly stole over $112,000 in goods. He faces 32 charges including 18 counts of shop theft and was remanded to appear at Melbourne Magistrates’ Court.
- A 24-year-old man from St Albans, accused of stealing more than $66,000 in goods, was bailed to appear on 10 July.
- A 39-year-old man from St Albans, allegedly stole over $80,000 worth of items and was charged with theft and drug offences. He was remanded to appear on 3 July.
- A 29-year-old St Albans man, allegedly responsible for more than $61,000 in theft, was remanded to appear on 1 July.
- A 34-year-old man, of no fixed address, charged in connection with $3,400 worth of stolen goods and drug possession, was remanded to appear on 4 July in Geelong.
- A 22-year-old St Albans man was also charged with drug offences, dealing with the proceeds of crime, and possessing a false document. He was bailed to appear on 10 October.
Michael Waters, CEO of Retail Drinks Australia, told National Liquor News the arrests underscore the scale of the problem facing liquor retailers.
“Retail Drinks welcomes the action by Victoria Police in dismantling an alleged retail theft syndicate in St Albans.
“As we unfortunately see across the country, alcohol is one of the most commonly stolen items from retail stores, which was also the case in this instance.
“The timing of this police action coincides with the recent release of Retail Drinks Australia’s Safety and Security Survey, which sheds further light on crime-related issues affecting liquor retailers across the country.”
Waters added that while the disruption of the syndicate was welcome news, more needs to be done to protect liquor retailers.
“While we applaud Victoria Police in disrupting this alleged retail theft syndicate, we know that the problem of retail crime and theft is widespread across Victoria and, alarmingly, on the rise.
“We urge the Victorian Government to increase its investment in police resourcing, introduce harsher penalties, particularly for reoffenders, and to work more closely with liquor retailers so that this sort of criminality can be stamped out.”
These arrests come as Melbourne has been identified as Australia’s retail crime hotspot. A recent report by Noggin, based on three years of police data, revealed that retail theft incidents in Melbourne surged from 1,702 cases in 2023 to 3,091 in 2024. The report also highlighted that bottle shops in Victoria and Queensland are among the worst affected by retail crime.
Victoria Police said it will take investigators several days to finish counting the allegedly stolen alcohol seized, with efforts underway to return the goods to affected retailers. Some items are believed to be exclusive to certain businesses.
Authorities say they will continue working alongside retailers and industry bodies to dismantle criminal syndicates and hold offenders accountable.