Shoplifters in Government sights

Libs offer plan to combat $216m impost on business

SHOPLIFTERS have been put on notice after the Government announced a crackdown on the problem which costs retailers $216 million a year.

Justice Minister Elise Archer announced a re-elected Liberal government would give retailers the power to inspect customers’ bags, would offer interest-free loans to install CCTV cameras and make it easier for shop owners to ban customers from their stores.

Critics say the measures would lead to vigilante business owners and expose them to charges of assault and trespass.

COSTING Tasmanian businesses $216 million a year in lost revenue, shoplifters are being put on notice by the Tasmanian Liberal Party.

Justice Minister Elise Archer announced a re-elected Liberal majority government would give retailers the power to inspect customers’ bags.

“It’s a little known fact to the majority of Tasmanians who are law-abiding citizens that at the moment, [shop owners] don’t have that right,” Ms Archer said.

“They’re employing security guards and of course that comes at a significant cost to the business and many simply can’t afford to employ security for that purpose.”

The Liberals would also make it easier for retailers to ban people from entering their premises, increase the police presence in shopping precincts and offer a no-interest loans scheme for businesses to install CCTV. “Most law-abiding Tasmanians won’t be deterred to enter a shop because they have nothing to hide,” Ms Archer said.

“If civil libertarians don’t like it, I suggest they speak to the shop owners about what they witness on a daily basis.”

Human rights lawyer Greg Barns said the proposed policy could be unlawful.

“It will leave business owners open to charges of assault and trespass,” he said.

“It also leads to vigilantism where you get a rogue business owner demanding to see people’s bags, they refusing to hand it over, and then fights ensuing.”

Earlier this month, Tasmania Police launched Operation Saturate — a threemonth, 12-person taskforce aimed at tackling property crime.

The operation aims to reduce total crime across southern Tasmania, with a key focus on shoplifting and car, home and business burglaries.

The latest police data shows property offences have increased 25 per cent to 3663 crimes in the South.

The biggest spikes have been in the Glenorchy (42 per cent), Bridgewater (36 per cent) and Hobart (33 per cent) police divisions.

Tasmanian Small Business Council executive officer Robert Mallett said shoplifting had a “gut-wrenching” effect on store owners.

“I think [thieves] think their little bit is not going to matter, but little do they realise that anything that gets stolen from a small business has a significant impact on that owner’s life,” he said.

If civil libertarians don’t like it, I suggest they speak to the shop owners

Justice Minister ELISE ARCHER