We need to have cops in the shops all the time.
Crime is out of control under Jacinta Allan.


https://www.crikey.com.au/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2023/09/Jacinta-Allan.jpg

https://www.news.com.au/lifestyle/real-life/news-life/bunnings-to-trial-new-security-measure/news-story/47e976e6ca351cbe63b49c56a545fcc2


Bunnings to trial new security measure

Victoria has become Australia's retail crime capital as Bunnings
joins supermarket giants in installing new security measures.

November 1, 2025 - 1:28PM

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.

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.


“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.”

It's like there's no law in Melbourne -

the criminals are in charge -
they go into shops and rob whatever they want -
and bash up anyone who stops them -
and honest people end up paying higher prices.

Bring back 19th century British justice -
the kind used in their lawless colonies.

Quote:

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.

At the same time as making people do their own checkout?

freediver wrote on Nov 2^nd, 2025 at 7:53am:

Quote: 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. At the same time as making people do their own checkout?

They don’t actually make people do their own checkouts, they just close all but one or two of the staffed checkouts so that waiting times are longer.
Personally I refuse to use self checkouts and, being retired can shop when demand is low.

I can see no reason why I should work for the store and my limited visits to McDonald’s do not include those that do not have humans accepting payment

freediver wrote on Nov 2^nd, 2025 at 7:53am:

Quote: 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. At the same time as making people do their own checkout?

The self serves are normally closed at Bunnings.

Quote:

“No one should be subjected to abuse, threats or violence simply for doing their job or going about their day.

Vic should follow NSW lead


Quote:

New laws in NSW have introduced tougher penalties for assaulting retail workers, creating new offenses with maximum prison sentences of up to 4 years for non-injury assault, 6 years for actual bodily harm, and 11 years for grievous bodily harm.

Retail crime? Too much of a generalisation... because that can go several ways.

Call it for what it is - THEFT aka SHOP LIFTING.

They need to be dealt with harshly under the law.

Honest Australians end up paying for this rampant crime.

Before 2000, really before the 90s.

Victorian crime was among the rich (Skase, Bond, Rivkin, Grollo Bros, etc) and the poorer was a nice culture.
Sydney, the crime culture was with the poorer Houso types, not the rich.
That was the traditional culture of both.

But then like One Nation. Sydney got AFL and Melbourne got NRL and both their social attitudes.
Now Melbourne has Sydney's Housos doin crime and Sydney has Melbourne's rich Gay Mardi Gras criminals.

This is what you get when you try to make the States the same like a One Nation.