Retail theft named as one of the biggest problems faced by Burwood police

An increase in suburban designer stores one of the main reasons for a rise in organised retail thefts in Burwood.

Birkenhead Point Outlet Centre is one of the three big shopping centres in the Burwood LGA.

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With an increasing number of designer brands and electronics stores popping up in suburban shopping centres such as Burwood, organised shoplifters are taking advantage.

Burwood PAC inspector Andrew Evans said retail theft is on the rise.

“Our statistics have risen but that’s as a result of us doing a number of retail theft operations,” he said.

Between March 2018 and 2019, 301 counts of retail theft were recorded in the Burwood LGA. This is more than two times the rate for NSW.

In March 2019, the rate of retail theft was almost four times higher than the state average, and the highest in more than two years.

Insp Evans said Burwood command undertakes one to two retail theft operations a week with both uniformed and plain-clothed police officers targeting retail-heavy areas.

Luxury fashion retail precinct opened at Birkenhead Point opened mid 2017. Picture: Jane Dempster

“There are a number of designer shops that are now housed in those precincts whereas ten years ago, they would have been located in the CBD,” he said.

This includes shopping precincts such as Rhodes, Westfield Burwood and Birkenhead Point.

A new fashion retail precinct opened at Birkenhead Point in 2017, featuring luxury giants Bally and Harrolds.

Burwood Westfield is one of the major shopping centres in the Burwood LGA.

Insp Evans said he couldn’t attribute retail thefts to a particular demographic.

Australian Retailers Association executive director Russell Zimmerman said the increase in shoplifting is Australia-wide and can be attributed to “gangs”.

“It’s a growing problem. The number of people who ring us up and talk to us about it, or email about how to handle these issues (is going up),” Mr Zimmerman said.

“It’s gang related and generally in shopping centres.”

There’s about a dozen to 15 people. They create a disturbance (somewhere) in the shopping centre … (and) security guards rush down to find out what’s going on. From there, the gangs go into these Telco shops and destroy them. The security guards are far away.”

There are reports of this happening more and more,” he said.

Australian Retailers Association said shoplifters are entering electronics stores and pulling phones off chargers.

Shoplifters are targeting phone shops and electrical stores, according to the Australian Retailers Association.

Mr Zimmerman said $9 billion is lost annually to retailers through shoplifting alone, with thieves targeting phone shops, electrical stores, supermarkets and discount department stores.

“When it come to mobile phones they come in and rip it out,” he said.

Another issue Mr Zimmerman flagged is that shoplifters are often abusive.

“There is a mental scar that is left … If you challenge them, you might get a knife injury,” he said.

Due to a massive increase in shoplifting complaints by retailers, Mr Zimmerman said the ARA is planning on conducting a large-scale research project. The association is now looking into how they will fund the research, and have spoken with insurance companies.

The number of large shopping centres in Burwood makes shoplifting a big issue for police in the area. Picture: John Appleyard

In the past few months, the Inner West Courier has reported on a number of shoplifting syndicates.

Earlier this month, an alleged Lego shoplifting syndicate was dismantled. Five people under the age of 26 were arrested in Petersham and charged with allegedly stealing $10,000 worth of Lego and other property, mainly high end sporting attire. In another incident, four teenagers were charged after clothing was stolen from a store in Burwood.

Three 16-year-olds and one 17-year-old travelled to Castle Hill on the train and were arrested there.

In June, investigators from North West, South West and Central Metropolitan Region Commands and State Crime Command’s Criminal Groups Squad formed Strike Force Arpen to investigate numerous retail thefts across Sydney.

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