Caught red-handed: Auckland worker elegantly foils attempted theft of crimson garment
A destination store on Auckland’s Karangahape Rd has gone viral on social media after posting footage of a staff member elegantly foiling a shoplifting attempt.
Ethical retailer Crushes, co-owned by Sarah Firmston and Rose Hope, has been trading in the popular shopping area since 2013.
The boutique recently shifted its small team metres down the road to a much larger premises in the heritage-listed Pitt St Buildings, opening on the corner of Karangahape Rd and Pitt St last December.
A stalwart of Kiwi-made urban retail, Crushes stocks vintage and second-hand garments, as well as New Zealand homewares, art and slow fashion pieces.
Taking to TikTok over the weekend, Crushes shared CCTV footage of one of their staff members keeping watch over the store late one afternoon.
The video overlaid by the words: “Proof retail is in fact, skilled work”.
Crushes co-founders Rose Hope and Sarah Firmston, pictured outside their new store on the corner of Karangahape Rd and Pitt St last year. The CCTV clip of the thwarted theft (inset) has so far drawn 1.2 million TikTok views. Photo / Anna Heath
A man appears from the left of the frame with a red long sleeve top in hand. While moving swiftly towards the exit, the employee spots him almost immediately.
As she shuffles past a group of four standing idly nearby, the alleged shoplifter tries to make his escape – nearly making it through the doors – before she skilfully snaps the garment from his grip and spins it back into the store.
The man barely flinched as he left the premises, having been caught red-handed.
The video has 1.2 million views and more than 130,000 likes at the time of writing.
The Herald has approached Crushes for comment.
Users appeared to be divided over whether the shopkeeper should have avoided the interaction after seeing the video.
Many United States-based viewers expressed disbelief that the employee put herself in a potentially risky situation for the business, adding that employers shouldn’t encourage them doing so in the event they face resistance.
“You shouldn’t be supporting your employees putting themselves in harm’s way for profit,” one commented.
“Small business or not you have a obligation to protect your workers.”
Another said they would have let the shoplifter go if it was them, arguing they wouldn’t be “pressed about a $30 shirt that’s priced at a 300% markup after being manufactured by someone who made literal dimes”.
A Kiwi user chimed in to defend the shop, highlighting Crushes’ belief in “conscious consumerism” and the fact it only sells vintage clothing and products from local artists and businesses.
Crushes backed their response, adding their employee recently confronted someone stealing an expensive cardigan, that took a local maker 25 hours to produce.
“We’ll pay her whether it sells or gets stolen. As is the way with everything we sell, cause that’s the business we run!”
Others stressed to sceptical viewers that Crushes is a New Zealand-owned business with a tight-knit and dedicated team, and praised the employee for intervening in style.
“This is not a corporation it’s a small, female-owned New Zealand business that mostly sells art and literature from local makers as well as second-hand clothing,” one person commented.
“Defs not a corporation. That being said, never risk ur safety for a corporation.”
Another wrote they loved seeing “companies that do choose to stick up for themselves and their employees”.
“Recoveries always feel empowering bc yes I am taking my stuff back, thank you,” they added.
A third person said the employee was “such a diva, I’m obsessed”, while a fourth commented: “Oh this is exactly the serve u think it is!!”.
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