In a bold move highlighting frustrations with law enforcement, a sneaker shop owner has turned to social media to catch brazen thieves, declaring that reporting incidents to police is a futile exercise. Ali Mansour, 29, who launched Sneaker Hut in March 2020, now operates a franchise with three locations across Guildford, Miranda, and Wetherill Park in Sydney.
Social Media Shaming as a Deterrent
Mr Mansour recently posted CCTV footage on TikTok depicting the latest in a string of alleged thefts at his south Sydney store, lamenting that "every day there's theft in Miranda." The video shows a young woman removing clothes from hangers, rolling them up, and stuffing them into a shopping bag from another retailer.
Speaking to Daily Mail, Mr Mansour explained that he regularly names and shames thieves online, a tactic he finds far quicker than involving authorities. "[Police] have much more serious cases to deal with," he stated. "Rather than spend months waiting for a resolution from the police, I feel I can come to terms with the thief on the same day I post the video and figure something out with them to pay for the stolen items."
Immediate Results and Public Exposure
According to Mr Mansour, sharing such footage on TikTok enables his team to identify culprits within five to ten minutes "every single time." He emphasised that the shame of being exposed to hundreds of thousands of viewers online typically serves as a powerful lesson, deterring future theft. "The shame of being exposed to hundreds of thousands of people on the internet usually teaches them a lesson to never steal again," he added.
The cost-of-living crisis in Australia has exacerbated the issue, with small businesses like his struggling to absorb losses. "When someone steals $200 to $300 worth of items from our store, the police might treat it as a petty crime and not action it promptly," Mr Mansour noted. "The cost of resources and waste of taxpayers' dollars to try and recover a couple hundred dollars worth of items is simply not worth it."
Unorthodox Yet Effective Approach
Mr Mansour acknowledged that his method could be perceived as unconventional. "I'd say we are on the lower end of the theft problem as our Sneaker Hut stores inside Westfield Miranda and Stockland Wetherill Park are quite small in comparison to some of the larger corporations," he said. "[But] it is quite a shock to a lot of people seeing these videos as they would consider it quite an unorthodox approach to catching a thief."
In one recent case, he offered to remove a video of a young woman stealing clothes if she paid for the items when the footage had only 6,000 views. However, she declined, and the video has since amassed over 360,000 views. Mr Mansour plans to delete it once payment is arranged, underscoring his focus on restitution rather than punishment.
This strategy, while controversial, reflects broader concerns about police prioritisation and the financial strain on retailers amid rising living costs. By leveraging social media's reach, Mr Mansour aims to protect his business while prompting a wider conversation about crime prevention in the retail sector.
