Victoria’s Retail Crime Epidemic: Bunnings Joins Supermarkets in Desperate Bid to Stop Thieves as Violence Soars by 50% in Just Two Years
- Bunnings to trial security gates at five Victorian stores after 50% surge in retail crime
- Shock statistic reveals 88% of customer threatening situations relate to theft, with staff facing over 13,500 incidents in the last year
- Victoria Police record 82,152 retail crime incidents in 2024, a 27.6% increase, with 71% of all thefts at Coles stores occurring in the state
In a desperate bid to restore safety in its stores, Bunnings has announced it will trial security gates at five Victorian outlets, joining supermarket giants Coles and Woolworths in the fight against retail crime. The move comes as Victoria is declared Australia’s retail crime capital, with a staggering 50% surge in retail crime over the past two years.
Rod Caust, Bunnings director of stores, issued a stark warning, saying, “No one should be subjected to abuse, threats or violence simply for doing their job or going about their day. We’re putting safety first. Escalating retail crime is a safety crisis and behind the statistics are real people who are being put in harm’s way.”
The DIY brand’s decision follows a shocking revelation that Wesfarmers staff have faced more than 13,500 threatening incidents over the last year, including over 1,000 physical assaults. A staggering 88% of customer threatening situations relate to theft, with between 60 and 70% committed by known, repeat offenders.
But Bunnings isn’t the only retailer speaking out about the violence happening in Victoria. Coles, Woolworths, Kmart, and Target bosses have also expressed their distress at the violence staff are facing, with Coles revealing a shocking 71% of all thefts across its 1,800 stores nationally occur in Victoria.
Matt Swindells, Coles’ chief of operations and supply chain, directly called out the Jacinta Allan government, saying the state needs to “change legislation” to slow down the rampant crime rate. “We are repeating what we’ve been asking for over a year now …. We are asking for support from the police, from a retail task force, so we can nip this in the bud,” he said.
Chris Rodwell, the Australian Retail Association’s CEO, said, “The data clearly shows Victoria has become Australia’s retail crime capital and is failing to adequately respond. It remains the only state without strict, proactive legislation on retail crime. Without tougher penalties and stronger police powers to apprehend offenders, incidents will continue to escalate.”
Rodwell urged the government to act before intimidations and violent threats turn fatal, saying, “Retailers need the government to act before it’s too late. If the government continues to overlook this issue, the risks to worker safety, business viability, and community confidence will continue to grow.”