'No one should have to go to work afraid for their safety'
A man who allegedly stole nearly $100,000 worth of luxury items was arrested in Victoria in July as part of the ongoing crackdown by the state police there against retail crime.
The man, 36, allegedly stole luxury handbags, clothes, and beauty products from high-end stores in the central business district (CBD) over the past six months.
He was also allegedly aggressive and verbally abusive towards retail workers when confronted about his behaviour.
Victoria's new retail theft team found the allegedly stolen luxury perfumes, designer clothes, high-end skincare products, and bedding during search warrants executed against the man.
He was charged with 41 offences, including 35 counts of theft, handling stolen goods, and dealing with the proceeds of crime.
The man is just one of the two dozen alleged retail thieves apprehended by Victoria's new task force under Operation STAND.
The operation was launched in the Melbourne and Yarra council areas in July to target violent, aggressive, and intimidating behaviour towards retail staff.
Those arrested have allegedly stolen more than $200,000 worth of goods from CBD, Richmond, and Collingwood stores this year alone, according to Victoria Police.
So far, 478 charges have been laid and around $97,000 worth of stolen goods have been seized.
Superintendent Brett Kahan, Operation STAND Police Commander, said they have more alleged violent retail thieves "closely in our sights."
"To the people who think they can steal and use intimidation tactics to get away with it, know that your time is up, and you will be held to account," Kahan said in a statement.
"Everyone deserves to feel safe at work, so we will continue to run this operation until that is the case."
Meanwhile, the Australian Retailers Association (ARA) lauded the Victoria Police's announcement on the arrest of 24 serious offenders and called for the operation's expansion.
"Victoria Police has heard our concerns and acted swiftly to target these offenders. No one should have to go to work afraid for their safety," said ARA CEO Paul Zahra in a statement.
"We are now calling for Operation STAND to be expanded to other high-risk priority areas throughout Victoria following this recent success."
Victoria has the highest number of serious retail crimes across Australia with 18,983, according to the ARA. It is followed by New South Wales (12,471), Western Australia (10,302), and Queensland (9,147).
The Victorian government announced earlier this year that it is convening a Worker Protection Consultation Group to introduce a new law to protect customer-facing employees in the sector.
"These new laws will send a powerful message: if you think you can get away with assaulting or abusing these workers – you're wrong and you will face the consequences," said Victorian Premier Jacinta Allan in a previous statement.
