Youth crime reaches boiling point as armed gangs replace eshays at SA shopping centres

Once identifiable by a bumbag and sports hoodie, the eshay menace is being replaced by armed youth gangs – who experts say are behind the surge in retail crime.

The eshay menace is being replaced by youth gangs committing crimes to order with an alarming willingness to be armed and violent.

While elements of the eshay subculture may still exist in the community, the concern for authorities is the rise of organised crime groups and young kids being engaged to commit crimes to order.

And where once the eshay was easily identifiable for its diagonal bumbag and sports label attire, of more concern is large groups of teens co-ordinating via social media to plan and execute their raids on retail sector and behind a surge in retail theft nationwide.

“We still see individuals dressing to that type and engaging with that (eshay) subculture, however I think we have certainly seen an uptick in retail crime,” University of Newcastle Associate Professor of Criminology Xanthe Mallett said.

Memes posted online as ‘eshays’ are a popular topic and found amusing by some teenagers. Picture: Facebook

“We are getting youth gangs and youths stealing from tobacconists, liquor outlets and retail stores, and there is an increased use of weapons in Australia and the UK.”

Professor Mallett, who will give the opening address at the Retail Crime Symposium on July 18, said there had been an increase in the use of weapons by youth gangs.

“It is an international problem, and not just retail crime but also fights between young gangs,” she said.

“Weapons are being used more, and there’s two problems – the crime and the increased use of weapons, and the impacts on the victims from those face-to-face encounters.”

She said eshays were “not notorious for carrying weapons”, but dressed and acted in a certain way.

“They were more of a public nuisance in terms of how they behaved,” she said.

“But now the access to, and willingness to use, weapons is a serious concern.”

Professor Mallett said “we cannot police our way out of it” and warned it would take generational change before the drivers of youths joining gangs or becoming involved in crime changed.

Six teenagers were arrested following an incident outside the Arndale Shopping Centre., Police say a group of youths threatened a man around 1.30pm Tuesday, with officers allegedly finding knives on two of the boys. Picture: NINENEWS

Heavily armed police at the entrance to the Westfield Marion, after the mall went into lockdown following an incident where police say two groups of youths were fighting. Picture: Michael Errey/AFP

It comes on the back of two high-profile incidents in suburban shopping centres in the past week, including a brawl involving several teens that forced Westfield Marion into lockdown.

That led to three teens being charged and terrified shoppers forced to flee the centre or hid in place as police overwhelmed the precinct.

The ordeal was allegedly sparked over an attempt to steal a $155 jumper.

In a separate incident, six teens – including one as young as 13 – were charged over an alleged incident at Arndale Shopping Centre at Kilkenny about 1.30pm Tuesday.

It is alleged that two of the boys were brandishing knives, while another is accused of throwing a rock which hit a person on the chin — causing minor injuries.

South Australian Independent Retailers CEO Colin Shearing said there were serious concerns around gangs of youths threatening workers if they reported a theft.

He said gangs were known to “hang around the particular store after hours” with staff fearing for their safety when finishing their shift.

CCTV of a Machete pulled in teen food court fight sending Westfield Marion into lockdown. Picture: 7NEWS

“The other bit around youth crime is swarming,” he said.

“Kids will get on social (media) and basically plan their strategy around what they are going to do, then they will swarm a particular store.”

The group would enter the store together, overwhelming workers by their number, steal items, and then flee.

He said the abuse retail workers faced in the current day mirrored that of the Covid-induced panic when workers were spat on and had goods thrown at them.

Mr Shearing said banning orders were ineffective in stopping the overall problem, and called for police to have greater powers to enforce tougher laws.

“At the moment (police) are hamstrung – there are laws that are in force but they cannot be enforced, or are not enforceable,” he said.

“From an owner’s perspective, putting on security guards, there’s a cost to that, particularly for the independents.”

Mr Shearing said it would cost about $2000 a week to have security guards at its stores, or $100,000 a year.

That could cost three or more casual jobs.

Australian Retailers Association chief industry affairs officer Fleur Brown said retail crime was a top concern for retailers nationwide.

“The youth element within that is certainly concerning and a focus, but it is by no means the biggest challenge,” Ms Brown said.

“What we have seen escalate in the past 12 to 18 months is the issues associated with that heightened, and that often runs parallel to the tensions that have been heightened in society.”

Ms Brown said co-ordinated or organised crime behind retail theft had “been on the rise” across Australia.

South Australia a national leader in supporting laws to hold adults criminally responsible for engaging youths to do their unlawful bidding.”