Businesses in New Zealand will gain the power to stop offences and detain individuals suspected of shoplifting at any time of the day.
Justice Minister Paul Goldsmith has announced plans to revise the Crimes Act 1961. The reforms were proposed by the Ministerial Advisory Group for Victims of Retail Crime (MAG), which was established in 2024 to develop targeted solutions that will “address urgent challenges in retail crime.”
“Retail crime increased 85% between 2019 and 2023, including a 91% increase in victimisations relating to theft,” Goldsmith said in a press release.
“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.”
According to the minister, the package of reforms includes:
- 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.
Opposition to the Proposal
Retail NZ chief executive Carolyn Young said most of their members are against the government’s proposal.
“As part of Retail NZ’s efforts to combat retail crime, we have been exploring whether extending powers of detention beyond police would be a solution. The great majority of members we have consulted have made it clear that only police should have powers to detain offenders,” Young said in a statement.
“This is extremely dangerous—people will get hurt or even killed. Frontline retail workers, who are often young people in their first job, do not go to work to do law enforcement. Retail NZ’s focus remains on training retail workers and security personnel in prevention and de-escalation,” Young added.
“We understand that all retailers are frustrated with the level of crime in their stores. However, we believe that preventative measures, alongside the ability to recover goods and effective trespass laws, will be more effective and safer for workers.”
In previous reports, Foodstuffs North Island have started a six-month trial of facial recognition technology to reduce incidents of physical and verbal assaults.
Meanwhile, Woolworths Point Chevalier announced that it would reduce its trading hours to 8 AM to 8 PM due to rising concerns over anti-social behaviour.