Helen McKay

While we were at East Maitland, Friday, killing time – before my scan appointment – we went to the Green Hills Shopping Centre, and had lunch. While there, we saw a really blatant “Charles Dickens” moment take place.

I was sitting at a table, between a Michael’s patisserie shop and a shop, just opposite that sells toiletries, waiting for Ken to bring our lunch over .

I watched in horror, as a young kid was being schooled – by a “Fagin’s lieutenant” - in how to steal something of value, from the display stand outside the doorway. There was quite a range of expensive boxed perfumes and toiletries on display on the table.

The furtive body language of the pair first attracted my attention. The younger guy had on an oversize top, that was loose in the front and following a nudge, from the older guy, lifted his top and slid a sizeable box of Hugo Boss cosmetics ($99), under it and began to slink off.

I called out, loudly, “I saw that.”

The kid gave me a scared look and ran out of the shopping centre. The older one gave me a really chilling look – if looks could kill, I’d be dead now. He was a nasty criminal type, who was schooling the youngster. Could just imagine him with a gun, in Underbelly – a violent crime show on TV.  He sipped his coke, from the can in his hand, turned and unconcerned, quietly sauntered out of the main entrance.

We immediately told the girls at the shop, what happened, but they seemed unconcerned – wasn’t their shop - I guess. Maybe they were in on it. I left a card for the shop owner to contact me, as I could identify both the thieves, from the surveillance tapes.

Better they get caught now, before it becomes a criminal habit. Gives you quite a stir though, when it happens, just feet from where you are sitting.