Victoria Police has arrested and charged 24 serious retail crime offenders on an accumulated 478 counts as part of a retail crime crackdown called Operation STAND.
The crackdown included the arrest of a 36-year-old man in late July for allegedly stealing almost $100,000 worth of luxury clothes, handbags and beauty products from high-end stores in the CBD over the last six months.
The operation was launched in the Melbourne and Yarra council areas in July to target violent, aggressive and intimidating behaviour towards retail staff.
According to Victoria Police, the operation included a dedicated team of police, who worked daily with major and independent retailers to identify thieves who threatened safety and hold them to account.
Of the 24 arrested, eight were arrested twice, with around $97,000 worth of stolen goods seized. This includes luxury perfumes, designer clothes and high-end skincare products.
Those arrested have allegedly stolen more than $200,000 worth of goods from CBD, Richmond and Collingwood stores this year alone. Stolen items are typically on-sold for profit.
Regarding the 36-year-old man who was arrested in July, Police claimed that when he was confronted by staff, the man allegedly became aggressive and verbally abusive.
During search warrants, police located allegedly stolen luxury perfumes, designer clothes, high-end skin care products and bedding.
The Footscray man was charged with 41 offences including 35 counts of theft, handling stolen goods and dealing with the proceeds of crime.
Meanwhile, a 33-year-old man was arrested on July 16 for allegedly stealing more than $3,300 worth of products from supermarkets and liquor stores in the Richmond area.
A 45-year-old man was arrested on August 20 for allegedly stealing almost $10,000 worth of goods from CBD clothing and liquor stores between July and August this year.
And a 27-year-old man was arrested on August 29 after he allegedly stole more than $2,000 worth of food and other products from multiple convenience stores in the CBD between July and August.
As part of the operation, police have been using an online platform to engage regularly with 23 retailers who have multiple stores across the CBD.
The platform – designed to streamline communication – means retailers can notify STAND directly when a non-urgent incident occurs. The notification instantly provides police with important information such as CCTV and descriptions of offenders.
On top of responding to incidents, the STAND team has proactively attended more than 58 stores to engage with retail staff and deter theft. This includes independent retailers who too are a priority of STAND.
Operation STAND will remain ongoing in the Melbourne and Yarra areas.
Superintendent and Operation STAND Police Commander Brett Kahan said retail theft is not a victimless crime as some would believe.
“Retail staff have long been dealing with intimidating, aggressive and violent behaviour and it was time we took a stand against it,” Kahan said.
“Because of STAND, 24 prolific and allegedly violent retail thieves have been arrested and we have more closely in our sights.
“To the people who think they can steal and use intimidation tactics to get away with it, know that your time is up, and you will be held to account.
“Everyone deserves to feel safe at work, so we will continue to run this operation until that is the case.”
Australian Retailers Association (ARA) CEO Paul Zahra said this outcome highlights the effective collaboration between the ARA and Victoria Police to achieve safety outcomes for retail workers.
“Retail workers in Victoria are unfortunately experiencing increased incidents of retail violence,” Zahra said. “Victoria Police has heard our concerns and acted swiftly to target these offenders. No one should have to go to work afraid for their safety. Unfortunately, this is a reality for many in the sector.
“We are now calling for Operation STAND to be expanded to other high-risk priority areas throughout Victoria following this recent success.”
According to the ARA, recent data shows that almost one in every 10 retail crimes across Australia is violent. When it comes to serious events, Victoria has the highest number of incidents at 18,983, followed by New South Wales (12,741), Western Australia (10,302) and Queensland (9,147).
Zahra said that staff and business owners are relieved to know that police are targeting these repeat offenders.
“We applaud Victoria Police for this result and look forward to seeing more offenders brought to justice in the coming months,” he said.