Sydney’s retail theft hotspots exposed in new crime data

Liquor is the most stolen item in retail theft.

A growing sense of fear has hit Sydney businesses following a surge in retail theft across some of the city’s highest density suburbs, with experts blaming rising grocery prices and cost of living for the uplift.

Analysis of Bureau of Crime Statistics and Research data showed there was a particularly high spike in retail thefts across the Strathfield, Ku-ring-gai and Burwood regions.

Retail theft in these areas, including shoplifting, skip scanning and shoppers swapping item price tags, rose 70 per cent over the past, the data showed.

The local government areas with the highest rates of retail theft were City of Sydney, Waverley, Burwood, Willoughby, Strathfield and Parramatta.

Liquor was the most commonly stolen item and licensed premises were the most frequent targets for retail theft.

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Clothing theft was the second most common type of retail larceny.

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Liquor theft was up 141 per cent across NSW over the past two years and accounted for two in five retail losses, crime bureau data showed. The average value of stolen liquor was $102.

Clothing and footwear ranked second, with incidents over the past two years at double levels a decade ago. The median loss on these items was $301.

Food theft accounted for 14 per cent of retail thefts and supermarkets were the most frequently targeted businesses.

Experts have chalked the surge in theft down to a climate of “economic desperation” following massive rises in the cost of living.

Ahmad Faraj, a senior Criminal Lawyer at Faraj Defence Lawyers, said the retail theft would be putting pressure on local businesses, which were often paying lofty rents to be in these high traffic areas.

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Retail theft has been higher in areas with more housing density. Picture: Carmela Roche

“The impact on businesses would be first of all an emotional one,” he said. “Not being able to feel safe at work and having to look over your shoulder is no way to be working.

“Additionally, businesses could see an increased cost through investing in higher security measures, which is an additional cost they need to endure.”

Mr Faraj added that there was a key difference in the recent retail theft surge compared to previous years: it was not consigned only to lower income areas.

“It’s easy to link retail theft to lower-income suburbs, however, what we’re seeing here is retail theft is increasing at an alarming rate in pretty affluent and highly populated areas.

Retail theft has soared in some Sydney areas over the past year. Picture: Julian Andrews

“This indicates to me that this is reflective of opportunity to commit the crime due to highly dense areas.

“Couple this with cost of living pressures (and) it makes sense that these areas could see an increase in retail theft.”

A failure to address the issue could drive businesses elsewhere, according to Mr Faraj.

“Businesses will definitely feel the burden. If they are constantly battling high rates of retail theft it will definitely drive them away to another area if it can’t be contained.”

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Liquor theft has skyrocketed.

Household financial relief may help to stymie the rate of retail theft in many areas.

“We’re consistently seeing an increase in retail theft cases directly tied to cost of living pressures,” Mr Faraj said.

“Addressing retail theft means addressing the economic hardships pushing people toward these acts in the first place.”

The Sydney areas with the lowest theft rate were Hunters Hill, Lane Cove, Camden, Mosman and Canada Bay.

SYDNEY AREAS WITH THE MOST RETAIL THEFT

City of Sydney

Waverley

Burwood

Willoughby

Strathfield

Parramatta

Penrith

Georges River

Inner west

Liverpool

Source: BOCSAR/ Faraj Defence Lawyers