Bunnings to trial new security measure
Victoria has become Australia's retail crime capital as Bunnings joins supermarket giants in installing new security measures.
Another major retailer will be trialling security gates at the exits of some stores after retail crime skyrocketed by 50 per cent in the last two years.
Bunnings will be trialling security gates in five Victorian stores — including Springvale and Sunshine — in a bid to restore safety in stores.
“We’ve seen a concerning 50 per cent increase in retail crime in our stores over the past two years with 88 per cent of customer threatening situations relating to theft.” Rod Caust, Bunnings director of stores, said.
“No one should be subjected to abuse, threats or violence simply for doing their job or going about their day.
“We’re putting safety first. Escalating retail crime is a safety crisis and behind the statistics are real people who are being put in harm’s way. Like many other retailers, we’re exploring the use of security gates as another tool, alongside a range of existing measures, to help keep our team and customers safe.”
The DIY brand is far from the first business to do this. Coles and Woolworths also introduced security gates to some stores in the last few years.
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Security measures in retail spaces have never been met with overwhelming enthusiasm from the general public.
Customers haven’t been quiet about how they felt about new security measures in the past. Many previously claimed they were made to feel like a thief, while others expressed their concerns over the increased use of AI.
“I don’t explicitly feel like a presumed thief. But doing the groceries used to be a chore I didn’t mind doing. These days it has become actively unpleasant. Customers seem to be the lowest priority for the major supermarkets, with the possible exception of the staff,” one social media user said.
Another said, referring to the smart gates: “The fact that the Perspex gate sometimes malfunctions and just doesn’t open despite the absence of thievery, means it should be scrapped. It’s very demeaning.”
However it was revealed that Wesfarmers staff have seen more than 13,500 threatening incidents over the last year. This includes more than 1000 physical assaults.
Around 88 per cent of customer threatening situation incidents are related to theft and between 60 and 70 per cent are committed by a group of known, repeat offenders.
Victoria seems to be fed up with the state of violence, according to research commissioned by the Australian Retailers Association (ARA) and National Retail Association (NRA). The state is a national hotspot for retail crime. It makes up 35 per cent of incidents. Victoria Police recorded 82,152 incidents in 2024 — a 27.6 per cent increase.
The research stated that more than half of Victorians have witnessed some sort of retail crime and 73 per cent have said its impacted their safety.
Bunnings wasn’t the only brand to speak out about the violence happening in Victoria. Coles, Woolworths, Kmart and Target bosses also expressed their distress at the violence staff were facing.
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Coles calls out crime surge
Supermarket giant Coles has placed further pressure on the Victorian government after revealing a shocking crime stat when it comes to high value items.
It says 71 per cent of all thefts across its 1,800 stores nationally occur in Victoria, due to a “lack of consequences” for anyone caught stealing.
Coles’ chief of operations and supply chain, Matt Swindells directly called out the Jacinta Allan government, saying the state needs to “change legislation” to slow down the rampant crime rate.
“We are repeating what we’ve been asking for over a year now …. We are asking for support from the police, from a retail task force, so we can nip this in the bud,” he said.
While refusing to outline just how much the business is losing, Coles says it’s “a material loss to operations.”
“Of $100 spent in Coles the net profit after tax is about $2.50, so while we are a big business and the profits we generate are sizeable, the margins are too thin to wear the cost of losses to the extent they have been,” he said.
“We can’t afford as a business to have organised gangs steal in high volume and on sell … it’s like we are in some third world place where there’s no law and order.”
Mr Swindells said Victoria has the largest crime due to a lack of laws preventing retail theft, unlike other states including NSW, Queensland and South Australia who have tougher crimes and dedicated retail stealing task forces.
‘Victoria has become Australia’s retail crime capital’
Chris Rodwell, the Australian Retail Association’s CEO, said: “The data clearly shows Victoria has become Australia’s retail crime capital and is failing to adequately respond. It remains the only state without strict, proactive legislation on retail crime. Without tougher penalties and stronger police powers to apprehend offenders, incidents will continue to escalate.
“Retailers need the government to act before intimidations and violent threats turn fatal. If the government continues to overlook this issue, the risks to worker safety, business viability and community confidence will continue to grow.
“That’s why retailers are calling for immediate reforms – including a dedicated Police Taskforce for Retail Crime, introducing enforceable Workplace Protection Orders, implementing streamlined online reporting, and legislating increased police search powers through initiatives like Jack’s Law. These proven measures are working elsewhere in Australia and must be adopted in Victoria to protect the state’s retail workforce.”
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Originally published as Bunnings to trial new security measure
