A TikTok user is drawing widespread attention — and condemnation — after allegedly stealing hundreds of dollars worth of groceries from major Australian supermarkets and posting videos of himself cooking the stolen goods for his online followers.
The man, who goes by the name Tommy Testarossa and largely obscures his face in footage, has been filmed by a friend walking out of major supermarkets with goods he has not paid for, before heading home to prepare elaborate meals for the camera.
Targeting the expensive items
In one video, the man offers blunt advice on what to take, apparently eyeing off premium olive oil. "You want to go for the expensive s***, you don't want to be getting the $13 stuff," he says, before making his way out of the store without paying.
His cooking content ranges from swapping baskets for beef cheeks and preparing restaurant-style dishes with his stolen ingredients. In a nod to celebrity chef Curtis Stone — who once promoted budget family meals through a major supermarket chain — the TikToker says: "Shout out (to) Curtis Stone, brah," framing the theft as a kind of twisted tribute to affordable home cooking.
The videos have gained considerable traction on the platform, with the man boasting about the value of his hauls and the quality of the meals he produces with them.
Retail industry and supermarkets hit back
The behaviour has drawn sharp criticism from retail industry figures. Fleur Brown of the Australian Retail Council said the videos go beyond one person's actions, warning they actively encourage others to follow suit.
"He's essentially encouraging people to steal. It's also a crime that impacts all Australians. Around $9 billion a year at least is lost to retail theft," Brown said.
Both major supermarket chains implicated in the footage have responded. Coles issued a statement expressing strong concern: "We are deeply concerned to see these types of videos encouraging illegal activity," adding that the retailer works directly with police to pursue repeat offenders.
Woolworths confirmed it is aware of the videos and is currently assisting police with their enquiries.
A growing problem for retailers
The case highlights the increasingly brazen intersection of social media and shoplifting, where the pursuit of online engagement appears to override any concern about legal consequences. Retail theft at this scale is not a victimless crime — industry figures consistently point to higher prices and reduced services for consumers as direct flow-on effects.
With police increasingly monitoring online platforms to catch thieves who document their crimes, the TikToker's habit of filming and publishing his alleged offending may ultimately prove to be his undoing. Both Coles and Woolworths are understood to be cooperating with authorities as investigations continue.
