Melbourne has recorded an 81.6 per cent increase in retail theft incidents over the past year, due in part to the ongoing “tobacco wars”.
A new report by Noggin, based on three years of police data, found that retail crime in Melbourne rose from 1,702 cases in 2023 to 3,091 in 2024.In contrast, Perth, previously Australia’s retail crime hotspot, has seen a 25 per cent drop in reported incidents, which the report attributes to the city’s new shoplifting laws.
Jeremy Smith, Senior Vice President, MSSSI, Enterprise Resilience and Security Sales, said this surge in retail crime presents a growing challenge that not only impacts retailers and staff but erodes consumer confidence, compromising long-term economic stability.
“Sharp rises across the country demonstrate that what may have formerly been isolated spikes are now turning into broader national trends. The findings, therefore, highlight an urgent need for more coordinated prevention strategies and more sustained investment in safety and security technologies tailored to the changing retail landscape.”
Adelaide reported the second-largest rise in retail crime, with a 53.2 per cent increase from 1,154 to 1,768 incidents. Despite the surge, Adelaide ranks fourth among capital cities for total retail crime, behind Melbourne, Sydney, and Perth.
Sydney, meanwhile, saw a smaller increase of 5.4 per cent, from 2,672 to 2,816 incidents, though its prison population has reached a five-year high, according to ABS data.
Beyond the capitals, regional Local Government Areas (LGAs) recorded some of the most extreme year-on-year spikes. Cobar in NSW reported a 610.8 per cent increase, followed by Brewarrina (601.5 per cent), Mansfield in Victoria (489.5 per cent), and Kiama in NSW (379.8 per cent).
Other high-growth LGAs include Golden Plains (293.6 per cent), Cabonne (249.6 per cent), and Surf Coast (229.5 per cent), pointing to a shift in criminal activity from urban to rural areas.
The report suggests that cost-of-living pressures, post-pandemic retail recovery, and limited law enforcement resources are contributing to the nationwide rise in retail theft.
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