Source: New Zealand Government
The Government is clamping down on retail crime by giving businesses more powers to detain those stealing from them, Justice Minister Paul Goldsmith and Associate Justice Minister Nicole McKee say.
“Retail crime increased 85 per cent between 2019 and 2023, including a 91 per cent increase in victimisations relating to theft,” Mr Goldsmith says.
“Currently, no one, including retailers and security guards, is protected from civil or criminal liability if they arrest and detain a person stealing goods valued at less than $1,000 during the day. The operation of the Crimes Act 1961 hinders people from stopping offending as it occurs right in front of them.
“This initial package of reforms, put forward by the Ministerial Advisory Group
for victims of retail crime, will give Kiwi businesses additional tools to deal with those that are robbing them of their livelihood and economic growth.”
These reforms include:
- Amending the Crimes Act so that citizens can intervene to stop any Crimes Act offence at any time of the day.
- Requiring that a person making an arrest contact Police and follow Police instructions.
- Clarifying that restraints can be used, when reasonable, when making an arrest.
- Changing the defence of property provisions to the Crimes Act so it is clear that reasonable force may be used.
“The economic cost of retail crime in New Zealand is in the billions, and retailers and security guards face abuse and assault that no New Zealander should be subjected to. This Government will ensure that people working in the retail sector are being effectively protected, are empowered to stop offending, and that offenders are caught and deterred from future offending,” Mr Goldsmith says.
“About 230,000 New Zealanders work in the retail sector. Increasingly, they are experiencing the personal and economic trauma of violent and theft-related crimes. The impact of crime on this group can have flow-on effects for their families and wider communities,” Mrs McKee says.
“We established the advisory group to provide first-hand insight into the issues being faced by Kiwi retailers on the ground. The recommendations the group has come up with are sensible reforms that will enable retail offenders to be more readily stopped and deterred from future offending.
“This is just the first suite of initiatives put forward by the Ministerial Advisory Group that the Government will be implementing. Watch this space.”
