Balaclava-clad toddlers caught shoplifting at Bournemouth corner store
CCTV from a Bournemouth shop shows children as young as five wearing balaclavas stealing fruit while their parent watches outside.
Erdogan Yigitoglu, a 52-year-old corner-shop proprietor in Bournemouth, Dorset, released CCTV that captured children as young as five wearing balaclavas stealing fruit and other goods while their parent waited outside. He described a scene where the mother appeared to congratulate the child after the theft. Yigitoglu has been posting similar videos for six years, claiming the public shaming and bans have lowered theft rates at his shop.
He reports losing thousands of pounds annually to burglary and says the stress has affected his mental health. The shopkeeper hopes the exposure will deter future copycat behaviour and protect small businesses from similar crimes.
