Booze heist Shoprite Newtown 2

Photo: Twitter

Thieves dig their way into Shoprite store, steal huge amounts of alcohol

An ambitious robbery has been reported at a Shoprite store in Johannesburg, after thieves tunneled their way into the liquor section.

Booze heist Shoprite Newtown 2

Photo: Twitter

Most of us will have been desperate for a drink over the last 67 days, but only a select few decided to take matters into their own hands. This group of booze barons have gone viral for staging their own version of The Shawshank Redemption at the Newtown branch of Shoprite in Johannesburg.

Booze heist: Thieves tunnel into Shoprite store

It’s understood the suspects avoided the mall’s main entrance, opting for electrical and stormwater tunnels beneath the plaza to gain access beneath the store. They then tunneled their way through concrete before emerging in the Shoprite store, able to freely access all the liquor they could get their hands on.

It’d be easier to list the items they didn’t steal, truth be told. Their haul including everything in sight, including whiskey, brandy, gin, cider, vodka, and beer. It’s believed that R300 000 worth of booze was transported out of the store and back through the tunnel. The police are offering a reward of R50 000 to anyone with information about this elaborate act of theft.

Alcohol consumption during lockdown

The damage was discovered on Friday morning when employees went to access the store in preparation for the lifting of our alcohol ban. All booze can now be sold by licensed stores, as part of the Level 3 directives. But, sadly for this branch of Shoprite, they’ve had to put the brakes on their trading.

During the era of prohibition in our harder stages of lockdown, the authorities worried that the sale of alcohol would be pushed underground. But no-one thought that this would take on a more literal meaning. Whoever committed this crime has pulled off an expert operation – but, as of Monday, there are now certainly easier ways of getting your hands on the hooch.