At a time of the year when seafood is in demand in Queensland, a Redcliffe hotel has had a large quantity worth $30,000 stolen from a freezer.
Police are appealing for information in the hunt for the thief believed to have taken the large frozen haul from Woody Point's historic Belvedere Hotel on Wednesday morning, and have released an image of a man they hope to speak to.
Police believe the man forced entry into a locked, external freezer about 2am at the hotel and removed 30 boxes of assorted frozen seafood before fleeing in a white ute onto Lila Street.
The stolen seafood included prawns, crabs, Moreton Bay bugs and a variety of fish, and was stored in distinctive white boxes with a Cleveland Bay Seafood logo on the top featuring a red prawn.
Belvedere Hotel general manger Andrew Cox said the crime threw the hotel "a bit of a curve ball".
"It was very much a shame, it's Christmas for Christ's sake," he said.
"It's put some pressure on us, but we have replaced the seafood."
Mr Cox said the theft would not have any impact on the hotel's functions in the lead-up to Christmas.
However, he said the seafood was delivered just 14 hours earlier and believes the thief either saw the stock being unloaded or knew the delivery time beforehand.
Mr Cox added whoever had taken the seafood would likely need large-scale storage or a market at which to off-load it quickly.
"I would suggest they have buyers lined-up for the seafood," he said.
Moreton Criminal Investigation Branch Officer in Charge Detective Senior Sergeant Michael Hogan said the theft of seafood so close to Christmas was particularly callous.
"Not only does this have a financial impact on the restaurant, but it's the time of year where many people like to come and enjoy a Christmas seafood meal – and this theft flies in the face of the spirit of the season," he said.
Police would like to speak with anyone who may have seen or heard anything suspicious in the area between about 1.50am and 2.10am.