An Adelaide man, Chris van Londen, stopped a group of thieves stealing alcohol from a bottle shop in northern Adelaide. CCTV footage showed him pulling a shopping trolley filled with cartons of alcohol away from one of the youths and returning it to the store, before running back to collect more items. The thieves were described as aged between 12 to 16-years-old and left the store without paying. Mr Van Londen, a former security guard, said he couldn’t sit back and watch a robbery unfold without doing something. SA Police are asking anyone with information to come forward anonymously.
An Adelaide man who stopped a group of thieves stealing alcohol from a northern Adelaide bottle shop said he could not sit back and watch a robbery unfold without doing something.
Stopping the Robbery
Chris Van Londen said he noticed a group of hooded youths enter the Hollywood Plaza BWS bottle shop on Wednesday evening while waiting for his wife in the car park. “I saw these young lads put balaclava hoods over their heads and masks on their face and storm up to the BWS,” Mr Van Londen told ABC Radio Adelaide’s Stacey Lee and Nikolai Beilharz. “I knew they were going to rob the place and I thought I had to do something.”
CCTV vision showed Mr Van Londen pulling the shopping trolley filled with cartons of alcohol away from one of the youths and returning it to the store, before running back to collect more items. “I’m just sick of people standing around and just watching this stuff happen all the time,” he said.
Mr Van Londen said he was a former security guard at nightclubs and pubs and was confident enough to confront the group. “I do know how to confront these young lads, and that’s what they were, just young lads,” he said. “I did have the confidence to see that situation through but if you don’t have the confidence I wouldn’t recommend it.”
The Robbery
SA Police said in a statement four males entered the Winzor Street bottle shop about 7:25 pm, loaded a trolley with alcohol and left without paying. The males were described as aged between 12 to 16-years-old, police said. “If you have any information relating to this incident, you can share what you know anonymously,” the police statement said.
Conclusion
Chris Van Londen’s actions are commendable, but it is important to remember that confronting thieves can be dangerous and should only be done if you feel confident and safe to do so. It is always best to contact the authorities and let them handle the situation. If you have any information about the robbery, please contact the police.
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