Australian retailers call for harsher penalties to stop violence amid organised crime spree

Aussie retailers want harsher penalties as organised crime gangs raid stores, bash workers — and it will only get worse before Christmas. Have your say.

Exclusive: Retailers are calling for harsher penalties and the stronger enforcement of existing laws as organised crime gangs raid stores and bash workers in a strategy of intimidation and violence.

Nearly nine out of 10 retail workers reported experiencing verbal abuse and 12.5 per cent suffered physical violence in 2023, according to the latest ANZ retail crime snapshot.

Auror senior director Nick McDonnell said organised crime gangs were driving the surge in violence and aggression as they stole items to resell on the black market.

“These individuals are using violence as a tool in order to exit the store with the product; it’s a pretty simple sort of equation,” he said.

Retailers are calling for harsher penalties for criminals as Christmas shopping peaks.

Yesterday this masthead revealed a deteriorating working environment for many Australian retail employees, with abuse, intimidation and assaults from customers rising across the board.

National Retail Association [NRA] director of policy David Stout said hundreds of offenders had been arrested over the past few years for seriously assaulting workers, but cases rarely ended in conviction.

“We are calling for stronger action from the judicial system to ensure that those who target retail workers with violence face appropriate penalties,” he said.

About 74 per cent of the charges were proven, according to data from the NSW Bureau of Crime Statistics and Research for the period of July 2023 and September 2024.

NSW Premier Chris Minns said he was pleased that a number of offenders had been convicted under the new laws and the state government would continue to support workers throughout the state.

More than 12 per cent of retail workers have experienced physical violence.

Police are responding to 31 per cent more incidents of retail crime since 2019, according to crime intelligence platform Auror.

In Sydney, detectives from the retail crime busting taskforce Operation Lightfingers 2024 arrested 65 offenders at major shopping complexes over a three-day period earlier this month and charged them with 94 offences.

NSW Central Metropolitan Region HVP Unit Commander Chief Inspector Paul Sly, said retail crime offenders saw the Christmas period as an opportunistic time to target retailers as shoppers hit stores.

“Our officers will continue to target shoplifters over the holiday season, and we encourage anyone with information about such offences to come forward,” he said.

Police officers are responding to 31 per cent more incidents now than in 2019. Picture: AAP

In Melbourne, Victoria Police’s Operation Stand has laid over 780 charges and arrested 76 offenders responsible for stealing $300,000 of goods including luxury clothes, handbags, jewellery, beauty products, electronics and liquor.

Acting Sergeant Richard Smith said officers would be proactively patrolling Melbourne’s CBD and Yarra and any violence towards retail workers would not be tolerated.

“These are not people who are stealing small amounts of food just to feed themselves,” he said.

“This kind of recidivist offending often has links to organised crime – with high value goods being sold on the black market or being exchanged for drugs.”

RETAIL ASSAULT PENALTIES AROUND AUSTRALIA

Commonwealth

The Albanese government has introduced legislation that would subject people threatening or causing harm to a Commonwealth worker to a Workplace Protection Order.

NSW

Assault, throw a missile at, stalk, harass or intimidate a retail worker – max four years.

Assault a retail worker in the course of the worker’s duty and cause actual bodily harm – max six years.

Wound or cause grievous bodily harm to a retail worker – max 11 years.

Victoria

Currently consulting on new laws against the abuse of retail, fast food and public transport workers.

Queensland

Introduced increased protections for all workers assaulted at work and aggravated sentencing for assaults in workplaces.

Police say retail offences can be linked to high-profile organised crime.

South Australia

Proposed laws that would give businesses authority to bar individuals exhibiting violent or intimidating behaviour through workplace protection orders.

Western Australia

Introduced new “assault retail worker offence” with penalty of seven years in prison or three years and a fine of $36,000.

Tasmania

Introduced minimum sentencing of six months in prison for assaults on frontline workers including employees in retail, security, transport and public officers.

Northern Territory

An offender who assaults a worker while they’re working faces between two and seven years’ jail.

ACT

Employers and employees can apply for protection orders against people threatening or committing personal violence against a worker.

Originally published as Australian retailers call for harsher penalties to stop violence amid organised crime spree