TEENAGE girls are fueling the shoplifting crime wave by using Barbie-themed electric toothbrushes.
Chefs at Super drug then started putting the £22.95 gadgets behind the counters “mass thefts”.
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Teenage shoplifters steal Barbie-themed electric toothbrushes from Superdrug
The Hismile devices have been taken off the shelves and replaced with empty boxes that shoppers must take to the checkout to make a purchase.
Even the £3.48 brush head refills now come with a security tag.
An employee of a store in CroydonSouth London, told us: “We now store them in the stock room and just leave the packaging on the shop floor.
“We get a lot of thefts from schoolgirls. They distract us – they also go for the makeup and fake eyelashes.
“The college girls come in and do the same thing.”
We revealed in September how Superdrug had been forced to put security labels on wart and bunion treatments and blood pressure monitors.
Trendy pimple patches popular with celebrities including Justin Bieber received the same treatment in July after being targeted by thieves.
In February, Superdrug provided body cameras and headsets to staff.
Graham Wynn, director at the British Retail Consortium said: “Thieves are becoming bolder and more aggressive.
“The lack of effective police response has left many in the lurch criminals feel that they can shoplift with impunity.”
Superdrug said: “We regularly test different ways to display and protect our products.”
Security guard stops suspected shoplifter by locking her in the store