Youths stole beer from a Texaco garage in Verwood. The store owner considers limiting teen access after the incident.
Sammy Atyeo-Pumfrey runs the store. She said it happened around 7:40 PM. Two teens waited outside the store, and one distracted the staff. Then, three teens grabbed twelve packs each of Birra Moretti and Budweiser, and a ten pack of Corona, before running off.
Sammy said gas theft happens weekly. Shoplifting worsens during school holidays. Last year, vape theft cost them £300-£400 in a weekend. “They ransacked our vapes,” she said.
Evenings are quiet, Sammy says, but staff are busy with other tasks. Teens grab stuff and leave fast, taking advantage of the situation.
Sammy posted about the thefts online, hoping parents would recognize the teens. After the recent theft, one parent actually paid for the beer, and the teen apologized for stealing.
Sammy has lived in Verwood her whole life. She improved the store, adding kids’ sections with sweets and coloring books.
The repeated thefts have made her think about changes. She considers limiting young people to two at a time, a measure that works at other Dorset stores. “It’s the minority ruining it,” Sammy said.
She reported thefts before, but nothing happened. So, she did not report this latest incident. Dorset Police know shoplifting hurts businesses. They have “Operation Shopkeeper” to fight it.
They want shops to report all thefts quickly, giving them CCTV images and details for investigations.