New penalties for shoplifting have been announced. Retail NZ describes them as a positive move in the ongoing fight against retail crime.
Under the new scheme, penalties will be up to $500 for those who steal goods valued at $500 or less and up to $1,000 for goods valued above $500.
The maximum penalties will be one year of imprisonment for thefts valued at around $2,000 or less and up to seven years of imprisonment for thefts exceeding approximately $2,000.
A new aggravating factor will also be introduced for thefts of goods valued under $2,000 when the act is committed in an offensive, threatening, insulting, or disorderly manner.
“We’re on the side of people who follow the law, do the right thing… and the retailers who are trying to make a buck without having stuff stolen from them,” Justice Minister Paul Goldsmith said during the announcement.
Meanwhile, Retail NZ has expressed support for the implementation of tougher sentences for shoplifters. Chief executive Carolyn Young said, “It’s great to see new measures being introduced that will broaden opportunities for shoplifting to have significant repercussions.”
Retail NZ reports that over 99% of retailers experience retail crime, which costs more than $2.6 billion annually.
Furthermore, the organisation’s COMS Retail Crime Report 2024 revealed that 73% of retailers encountered shoplifting incidents during the year, while 58% faced threatening behaviour.
“People shoplift for all sorts of different reasons,” Young said.
“Although the cost of living crisis is often being blamed for the increase in retail crime, retailers confirm that the majority of offenders shoplift goods that are clearly unrelated to their daily basic needs.”
“Sometimes they are shoplifting to order, sometimes to support their addictions or to gain notoriety on social media.”
Retail NZ views these stronger penalties as a valuable addition to other crime prevention measures such as facial recognition technology, security guards, fog cannons, staff training, and body cameras.