Retail crime operation delivers results in Invercargill
Thursday, 8 January 2026
A partnership between police and retailers in Invercargill is being linked to a significant drop in retail crime statistics for Southland.
Inspector Mike Bowman, the Southland area commander, said police in the district have been running Operation Switch with a focus on retail crime since 2023.
He said retailers credited the relationship police had built with them for the changes.
Demand and activity data showed 1514 incidents of theft reported in Southland between October 2024 and September this year.
That number was down from 1840 in the previous 12-month period, which was itself a reduction on the 2005 thefts reported between November 2022 and August 2023.
Crime in central Invercargill, particularly youth crime, boiled over in 2024 with many business owners saying things had been escalating in recent years.
When it came to theft, Bowman said the police’s first step was to identify the true nature of the problem.
Many retailers were not reporting incidents, he said.
“By connecting better with our retail community, we were able to build up trust and confidence with police and offer prevention advice and measures which retailers could introduce.”
Police encouraged retailers to report incidents quickly, which helped with their investigations and ultimately with apprehending offenders, he said.
The Invercargill City’s Council’s CCTV upgrade roll-out, completed in April, was acting as a deterrent together with an increased police presence, Bowman said.
“Through this operation, police have an improved relationship with all parties and partners.”
Southland police recently launched a new beat policing team, made up of a group of officers dedicated to working with businesses.
Invercargill Central manager Kelvin Mooney said the beat team was a real step forward for businesses in the central business district.
“They’re providing a visible presence at the ‘hot spot’ times we’ve identified and can now respond much more quickly when we need their support,” he said.
“By working with the same officers regularly, we’re building strong relationships, and it’s become much easier for all of us to identify repeat offenders.”
The mall was among other businesses in the city using Auror, a crime reporting platform that records incidents and offences, Mooney said.
“That information is visible to police, helping them quickly spot trends and identify offenders who are causing issues across the city.”
Even before the beat team’s official launch, Invercargill police were ahead of the country in the way they supported retailers and tackled crime in the CBD, Mooney said.
“That presence was absolutely noticed and appreciated. They’ve helped us target the worst offenders and backed the centre to enforce stricter anti-loitering policies,” he said.
“With more than 110 cameras throughout the centre and full-time security on site every day, Invercargill Central has become known as a place not to offend in. The odds of being caught are very high.”
Invercargill Neighbouring Retailers Group chairperson Ben Fokkens said there had been a marked decrease in loitering in the CBD.
He put this down to more police officers and security guards acting as a visual deterrent, saying: “They’ve been active in the CBD, which has absolutely helped.”
Justice Minister Paul Goldsmith announced a new Crimes Amendment Bill in early December, promising stronger penalties for retail crime.
The bill, which the Government aimed to pass into law before the 2026 general election, includes additional citizen’s arrest powers and a new shoplifting infringement regime.
“Retail crime is an ongoing challenge, and police and business owners need additional tools to protect their livelihoods,” the minister said in a statement.
“For too long business owners have been left feeling helpless as thieves walk out with whatever they please. It has to stop.”