Cops in shops: Beat police to help curb retail crime

Wednesday, 29 October 2025

Southland police are hitting the streets, literally, with the launch of a new beat policing team.

They’ll be working in and about Invercargill’s retail centres to assist business owners and help curb retail crime.

Invercargill area prevention manager Acting Inspector Mel Robertson said Southland police had already been increasing visibility in these areas, but more staff meant they were in a position to set up the beat team.

“There’s a lot of work to do, but initially it’s just about building relationships, letting the community know who we are.”

Southland police recorded 1642 incidents of theft across the region between August 2023 and July 2024 — down from 1946 between August 2022 and July 2023.

The new beat team, made up of Sergeant Mitch Springer, Constable Tony McGoldrick and Constable Tierney Horler, have been on the job for the past two weeks.

Robertson said they’d already had some wins, like catching an active shoplifter red-handed.

She said officers generally gravitated towards these kinds of roles because they saw the value in community policing.

Robertson encouraged the community to stop them for a yarn when they saw them out and about.

“We want people to approach them and not feel like something is happening,” she said.