$30,000 worth of food stolen from Queensland restaurant
Police are now investigating the theft of $30,000 worth from a southeast Queensland restaurant, just over a week before Christmas
The heist occurred last week.
A man captured on CCTV forced his way into an external freezer at the historic Belvedere Hotel near Redcliffe. He broke in between 1.50am and 2.10am last Wednesday.
He took off with what police estimate to be 30 boxes of prawns, crabs, Moreton Bay bugs and fish. He fled the scene in a white ute.
Police say the seafood was in distinctive white boxes bearing a Cleveland Bay Seafood logo on the top featuring a red prawn.
Belvedere Hotel general manger Andrew Cox said the crime had taken everyone aback.
"It was very much a shame, it's Christmas for Christ's sake," Mr Cox told the Brisbane Times.
"It's put some pressure on us, but we have replaced the seafood."
Still, he said the theft would have no impact on the hotel’s functions in the lead-up to Christmas.
The theft might well be an inside job.
Mr Cox says the stolen seafood was delivered just 14 hours earlier.
He suspects the thief either saw the stock being unloaded or knew the delivery time beforehand.
Which means the thief would need access to large-scale storage or a market at which to off-load it quickly.
Moreton Criminal Investigation Branch Officer in Charge Detective Senior Sergeant Michael Hogan said stealing seafood so close to Christmas was callous.
"Not only does this have a financial impact on the restaurant, but it's the time of year where many people like to come and enjoy a Christmas seafood meal – and this theft flies in the face of the spirit of the season," Senior Sergeant Hogan told the Brisbane Times.
Police have released an image of the man they want to speak to and are appealing to anyone who saw or heard anything suspicious in the area at that time.
by Leon Gettler, 20th December 2016
