Major update after clothing store was brazenly robbed in broad daylight in front of a crowd of stunned onlookers
A woman has been charged three weeks after she allegedly smashed her way into a high-end fashion boutique to steal jewellery and clothing worth thousands of dollars.
Police launched an investigation after a woman was allegedly captured on CCTV forcing her way into Melbourne CBD boutique Ji Studio in broad daylight on September 20.
Victoria Police alleged at the time that staff had locked the doors of the Elizabeth Street store after a shopper attempted to steal clothing.
The woman allegedly forced her way back inside by kicking in the glass door with a barrier stand, shouting, ‘give me my stuff back, c**t’.
She then allegedly assaulted a female staff member, stole money and clothing before fleeing the scene.
The alleged robbery unfolded in front of a crowd of shocked bystanders, sparking a heated debate on whether someone should have intervened.
Following extensive inquiries, a St Kilda East woman, 30, was arrested on Sunday.
She was charged with aggravated burglary, theft and criminal damage.
A woman has been charged over the alleged robbery at Melbourne’s boutique Ji Studio
Following extensive inquiries, a St Kilda East woman, 30, was arrested on Sunday.
A crowd of shocked bystanders watched the brazen robbery unfold inside
She was granted bail to appear in Melbourne Magistrates’ Court on February 24.
The alleged incident is one of many that have occurred nationwide and has renewed calls for urgent government action on retail crime.
Victorian retail union boss Michael Donovan at the time urged Premier Jacinta Allan ‘deliver the tougher penalties it promised’.
‘Waiting for Christmas, as the premier has promised, is too long. This latest attack shows retail workers and shoppers need proper protection now,’ he said.
‘If it was good enough to bring forward the machete ban, then surely the time for the government to act on its pledges to retail workers is now.’
In the year ending March 2025, police recorded almost 475,000 incidents across Victoria – a jump of more than 20 per cent compared with the previous year.
The overall crime rate has climbed to its highest level since 2017, with property offences, deception crimes and breaches of justice orders driving the increase.
