Rundle Mall employee ‘scared’ of going to work amid violent shoplifting spree

Rundle Mall shoplifters believe they “can do whatever the hell they want”, a scared young employee says – as the Liberals accuse the state government of hiding the latest crime data.

• Anti-terror cops to patrol Mall

A terrified Rundle Mall employee says she’s scared to go to work in the popular shopping strip and fears violent shoplifters believe they can “do whatever the hell they want”.

As the Opposition accuses the state government of withholding the latest crime statistics, police vowed to increase patrols in the Mall – including dog, horse and anti-terrorism cops – in reponse to violent shoplifting incidents.

It came as they arrested the third person in four days over another alleged shoplifting incident.

Poppi Regos, who works at Smiggle, witnessed the events unfold as a 45-year-old man was arrested outside Rebel about 9am on Thursday. He was charged with theft and given bail.

Ms Regos said she was “scared” about coming into work after multiple violent incidents this week.

Police are still searching for two men who stole a shirt from Foot Locker on Wednesday, one brandishing an axe, while a 15-year-old girl allegedly knocked out a Rebel employee with a stool on Monday.

A man is seen exiting Foot Locker on Wednesday morning, he appears to be holding an axe after a robbery. Picture: Supplied

A worker at a nearby Rundle Mall store captured the moment a 45-year-old Bowden man was arrested outside Rebel sport store on Thursday morning. Picture: Supplied

“It is really scary to think that we could very easily be next. Like, after you leave, we could have someone come in and try something – and it’s scary to think about that all I can do is just give them whatever they want and they can do whatever the hell they want,” the 20-year-old said.

“We’ve had our moments here in Smiggle where we’ve had to close off customers in the store.”

The state Opposition said there had been an “unusual and prolonged delay” for current, 2024 crime statistics.

They said monthly crime statistics were usually released in the middle of the following month once they’d been reviewed by Police Minister Labor’s Joe Szakacs.

However, January’s crime statistics are yet to be publicly released, they said, with most recent crime data – for December 2023 – showing SA was in the midst of a “crime crisis”.

There had been 11,443 extra offences reported in the past 12 months when compared to the year before, they said, with police officer assault up 40 per cent and shop theft had risen by 31 per cent.

It echoed statements by SDA secretary Josh Peak on FIVEaa on Thursday morning, who said there had been a 30 per cent rise in retail crime this year across Adelaide.

“This strange delay is of concern because it’s mid-March and we have no idea what type of crimes occurred in January,” deputy opposition leader John Gardner said.

Mr Szakacs told media on Thursday the state government wasn’t responsible for releasing the crime statistics.

“South Australian Police does and they do that periodically every month,” he said. “That will be a matter that you take up with SAPOL – we don’t release them.”

SAPOL said the statistics were expected to be published on March 18.

“The timeline for release isn’t any different to any other prior month’s release,” a spokesperson said.

Police were conducting patrols of the Mall on Thursday morning when they were alerted by retailers who said a man had stolen clothing items from their store.

Shortly after, the Bowden man was arrested and charged with theft in front of onlookers, one of which was Ms Regos – who works opposite the Rebel store where the arrest took place.

“There was a dude sitting on the floor with a cop,” she said.

“The cop was being really verbal with him – not aggressively or loud – but just saying a lot while tipping his bag out.

Poppi Regos, working at Smiggle in the Mall, says she’s scared about coming into work. Picture: Keryn Stevens

Ms Regos said she saw the arrest take place.

“No one from Rebel came out, no one was interested – but the people in Nike came out, there were three girls,” she said.

“They came out and they looked around, they looked at the cop taking him away, they looked at us and waved.”

Police announced this morning that extra patrols – part of retail theft crackdown Operation Measure – would provide a “highly visible and responsive presence” in the mall after fed-up Nike store owner Shannon Aistrope called for a long-term solution on Wednesday, something Ms Regos would “absolutely” welcome.

Nike Rundle Mall store owner Shannon Aistrope is frustrated with the increase in crime. Picture: Kelly Barnes

“The station literally around the corner from us is very, very helpful when we need them but they – as police officers do – need to get their gear and need to get ready so it takes about five to ten minutes for them to get here,” she said.

“The fact that we have police possibly patrolling the mall now, it will be ten times better.”

The arrested man was bailed – with conditions – and will appear in the Adelaide Magistrates Court in May.