More SA police not the answer to rising shop theft trend, says Grant Stevens

Police chief Grant Stevens says he believes a lack of police is not to blame for the recent spate of shop thefts – and there are several unusual factors at play.

Social media is skewing the perception retail theft is exploding across Adelaide’s shopping precincts, says SA’s top cop – but he admits there is still a problem.

Police Commissioner Grant Stevens said the recent spike in shop theft across Adelaide was not because of a lack of police numbers, with other social issues at play.

It was not constrained to youth offenders, either, with the state’s police force putting its focus on “stopping people thinking it is OK to commit these crimes”.

It comes after Rundle Mall retailers weighed in on the city’s growing shoplifting problem – revealing the lengths they’ve had to take to protect themselves.

Mr Stevens told FIVEaa on Wednesday morning the growing trend of shop theft – especially in the city’s main retail strip Rundle Mall – was not because of a lack of police, nor was it an issue exclusive to Adelaide.

South Australian Police Commissioner Grant Stevens. Picture: Roy VanDerVegt

He said ensuring perpetrators experienced consequences and work to “stop people from getting to a point where they think it’s OK to do it” were the bigger issues to be explored.

“Retail shop theft is a growing trend right across Australia, we’re seeing increasing numbers in every jurisdiction,” he said.

“The question for us is what is happening in our society that creates a mindset of people that this is OK to do?,” he said.

“What is it that leads up to a person walking into a shop threatening staff members, wantonly stealing, taking items?

“There’s got to be … some analysis of the symptomatic causes that result in people committing these offences, what is it that makes them think that they’re going to get away with this?”

Mr Stevens said a perception of a lack of consequence for shoplifting could be part of the problem.

“If there’s no sense that you’re going to be held accountable for your behaviour, then there’s no incentive not to do it,” he said.

“In the context of people’s perceptions about what is serious I think shop theft is not considered serious across many people’s views so it’s dealt with in that manner.”

Mr Stevens revealed Operation Measure, formed in March 2022, had led to 1280 arrests or reports for shop theft, relating to more than 8000 separate charges.

Increased police security in Rundle Mall after a recent increase in the amount of crime and theft. Picture: Dean Martin

“So we are talking about recidivist offenders,” he said.

“Operation Measure has won two national awards for best collaboration between retail and police, and I think that speaks volumes for the effectiveness of that operation in terms of targeting recidivists, working with the retail sector to prevent crime, and to deter offenders.”

He said it was a sustainable enforcement action that would continue.

But the perception of a recent uptick or spike in retail theft and violent incidents was potentially skewed by the rise of social media and information sharing.

It was also retailers and workers sharing their experiences of past violent incidents in the context of more recent incidents, he said.

“Because they’re reported within the commentary about incidents which were occurring just last week, it must lend to a perception that these things have all happened in a short space of time,” he said.

“That’s not diminishing the impact or the seriousness of what has occurred, but it’s about how people might form a view that we are dealing with something that is more significant in terms of volume than it really is at this time.

“That’s not to say there’s not an issue with retail shop theft or assaults against workers, but it’s about how people perceive that problem at this point in time.”

Mr Stevens said social media such as Facebook had also complicated investigations into the onselling of stolen goods.

Police officers walking the beat in Rundle Mall. Picture: Dean Martin

“That’s more challenging now than it has been historically,” he said.

“To get rid of stolen property it generally went through second-hand dealer outlets but now with the use of social media it is more challenging to do, but we do target people who purchase stolen goods and people trying to sell stolen goods.”

He said life pressures, as people battle a cost of living crisis, compelled people who might not ordinarily steal to do so but the issues extended beyond the current economic climate.

“I think there are broader issues at play here that result in additional pressures on police to have to put police officers into locations that historically haven’t had to happen,” he said.

“We’ve always had police operating in that location but it’s our obligation also to respond to people’s fear of crime and a strong police presence provides some reassurance and probably provides a deterrence.

“But we can’t keep pushing police officers into every different location where we see a surge in some sort of criminal activity.”