New campaign targets retail crime as theft offences remain high in Victoria
Crime Stoppers Victoria and Victoria Police have launched a statewide campaign aimed at disrupting retail crime and improving safety for retail workers across the state.
The campaign, The Real Cost of Retail Crime, encourages Victorians to provide information about offences in retail settings and repeat offenders. Crime Stoppers Victoria says the campaign also aims to highlight the impact of retail crime on frontline workers, businesses and local communities. Recent figures show retail theft remains at high levels in Victoria. In the 12 months to March 2026, 41,775 retail theft offences were recorded, compared with 41,756 during the previous year. Theft of alcohol accounted for more than a third of items stolen from retail stores. While the increase on the previous year was small, the longer-term picture shows a sharper rise. Reporting on the latest crime data found the number of retail thefts recorded in the year to March 2026 was about 30 per cent higher than in 2023.
Police intelligence cited by Crime Stoppers Victoria shows repeat offenders are a significant factor, with 54 per cent of offenders responsible for ongoing and organised offending across retail settings. Crime Stoppers Victoria chief executive Stella Smith said the impact of retail crime was often underestimated.
“Behind every theft are workers and customers who may experience fear, abuse, and repeated exposure to harm,” she said.
Victoria Police Commander Melissa Webbers said retail theft should not be dismissed as low-level offending because of its impact on workers, businesses and the wider community. The campaign comes after Victoria introduced new legal protections for customer-facing workers. Under laws passed in 2025, assaulting or threatening to assault a retail, fast-food, hospitality or transport worker can carry a maximum penalty of five years’ imprisonment. Lower-level assaults, threats and intimidating conduct can carry penalties of up to six months in prison.
The SDA union has also campaigned for stronger protections for retail and fast-food workers. Its 2025 No One Deserves A Serve survey found 34 per cent of respondents did not feel safe at work, while 88 per cent reported experiencing verbal abuse during the previous year and 25 per cent said they had experienced physical violence. More than 360,000 people work in Victoria’s retail sector, with many workers young and entering the industry through their first jobs. Crime Stoppers Victoria says retail environments remain a common location for theft, aggression, intimidation and violence.
The campaign will use CCTV images and information about unsolved incidents and persons of interest to encourage members of the public to provide information that may assist police investigations.
