Wellington retail crime falls but theft still a problem, owners say

Monday, 1 July 2024

Police data shows retail crime in central Wellington has dipped, but retailers are still concerned about shoplifting. (file)

Retail crime in Wellington is decreasing, according to police data, but retailers say they are still being hit by shoplifters.

Last year, The Post reported that the capital was experiencing a surge in shoplifting , with multiple retailers confirming theft was the highest they had ever experienced.

However, data from police shows there has been a notable drop in reported retail thefts in central Wellington this year.

In April 2023, police received 226 reports of retail crime but in February this year, that had dropped to 107 for the month, the lowest i in two years.

Police senior sergeant Hamish Knight said the drop in reports of retail crime was driven by police work behind the scenes.

However, he said numbers were only part of the story.

“We know that retail crime increases when times are tough; some people steal because they’re hungry or cold, but others steal for the challenge it presents.”

Last year, Iko Iko manager Emma Smith told The Post shoplifting had definitely increased at the small store over the past few years.

But last week floor manager Caitlin Lek said the store had noticed a slight decrease recently.

However, Lek said they were still receiving emails from the Eyes On security group about shoplifting in other stores around town.

They had also started locking valuable items in display cabinets which may have contributed to the decrease.

The owner of a store in central Wellington, who asked to stay anonymous out of fear of repercussions from shoplifters, said retail crime was at the same level it had always been for her.

Z Station retail owner speaks about the impact of crime on her business.

The only difference was there were fewer people in town due to the lack of parking, she said.

Ki Sushi owner Appy Jiang, whose husband was attacked by a shoplifter last year, said it was too soon to tell whether shoplifting had dropped.

However, she had noticed an increased police presence in the area of her store in Featherston St which was reassuring.

Knight said the key thing for police was giving retailers the tools they needed to prevent shoplifting while keeping staff and customers safe.

He said police’s main collaborative partner in combating retail crime was Eyes On, which was funded by Wellington City Council and supported by police and other social agencies.

“We know there are more instances of people getting aggressive, more assertive, and that’s really confronting if you’re the retailer worker who has to deal with it. Some people might be out to cause trouble, but others might simply be having a bad day.

“Retail crime isn’t something we can solve overnight, but the enthusiastic work being done in this space is already making a difference.”