Business owners told to be aware of thefts by visitors

The owner of a clothing and accessories store in the duty-free zone in St. John’s is encouraging other business owners to be very vigilant and mindful of visitors who enter their establishment to conduct transactions. The woman, who did not wish to be named, sounded the alarm after a cruise ship passenger attempted to steal an item from the store on Tuesday.
The female visitor who purchased a number of items from the store reportedly slipped a book about the destination under her arms and left the store without paying for the particular item. The store owner said she alerted the police after she became suspicious and the woman was taken off the vessel to explain what had happened. “Even when the police got her from the vessel, she said that she did not intend to steal the item, however, based on the video footage from the cameras in the store, she definitely intended to steal the item,” the store owner said.
The business owner told OBSERVER media that this was not the first time that such as incident has happened in the city. She said that while such thefts affect business, the offenders are “let go silently” because local merchants are fearful of tarnishing the country’s image based on how each case might be handled.
She said, however, when the situation is the in the reverse, visitors to the island go all out to report about any negative encounters they may have in Antigua and Barbuda. “I want business owners to be cautious and not be deceived by their looks because she was a very nice-looking lady who [has] a lovely smile,” the store owner said.