Someone Call Kiri Allan, Stuff Says Retail Crime Skyrocketing
January 10, 2023
PHOTO: AM
With increasing levels of shoplifting and retail crime rates at a new all-time high, it might be easy to point the finger at inflation and the ever-rising cost of living.
But Retail NZ says most people are not stealing to eat or keep themselves above the water.
Retail crime rates have been on the rise for the past four years. Reports of theft dropped slightly in 2020, which could be linked to strict Covid-19 lockdowns during that year, but overall have been skyrocketing with thousands more cases recorded between 2020 and 2021, and then 2021 to 2022.
Police data shows shoplifting crimes (robbery, burglary and theft) increased to a fresh high last year, with police receiving 241,638 reports.