Retailers in New Zealand are facing an increasing level of organised and violent crime, a recent study has found. The results of a new study conducted by Retail NZ and the University of Otago revealed retail crime was not only increasing but also becoming more organised and more violent. The first New Zealand Survey of Retail Theft and Security was run in 1996 and then repeated in 1999 and 2003. Retail NZ public affairs general manager Greg Harford encouraged more people to report retail crime to police. Retail NZ called on the Government to manage retail crime and establish a dedicated retail crime reduction task force and bring in an infringement ticket-style offence for petty theft.

Source: Otago Daily Times December 08, 2017 15:56 UTC