A cashier working at the Winners Victoria Urban Terminal supermarket in Port-Louis was arrested late on Monday 17 July for stealing packets of cigarettes worth Rs 5,000. The 42-year-old woman, who lives in Cité La Cure, was discovered during an inventory check after CCTV footage was viewed. Marie Stéphanie Jennifer Lafleur has been seen stealing packets of cigarettes on six other occasions.
A 27-year-old security guard reported the theft to Casernes Centrales police station in the early evening of Monday 17 July. In his complaint, he explained that at around 9.30am on the same day, the supermarket’s Stock Controller noticed that a packet of Marlboro cigarettes was missing from the checkout at N0 7. This was after an inventory had been taken.
After the checkout’s surveillance camera was viewed, the cashier was seen hiding a packet of cigarettes on Sunday 16 July. Suspecting that this woman might have committed other thefts, she was followed on other cameras. She was caught stealing cigarette packets on six other occasions. The value of this theft is estimated at Rs 5000.
The police were alerted and arrested the 40-year-old. After giving her statement, she was released on parole.
