Victoria’s retail crime crisis remains at near-record levels, with 263 offences recorded at retail locations every day and retail theft reaching a new record high.
New Crime Statistics Agency figures show 96,008 offences were recorded at retail locations in the 12 months to June 2026. That is equivalent to one offence every five-and-a-half minutes and is the second-highest total in the 10-year series.
The figures include a record 37,398 steal-from-a-retail-store offences, equivalent to 102 every day (+2.3%), and 5,120 assault offences, or 14 every day.
Of the 263 offences each day at Victorian retail locations, 102 were thefts from retail stores. That compares with almost 90 retail theft incidences a day in NSW, despite Victoria having around 1.5 million fewer residences.
Australian Retail Council CEO Chris Rodwell said the record number of thefts from stores is deeply concerning.
“Retail theft is not a victimless crime. It drives up costs, puts workers and customers at risk and ultimately the whole community pays,” Mr Rodwell said.
Overall offences at retail locations fell 3.0 per cent year on year. Assault offences declined 6.1 per cent, while stalking, harassment and threatening behaviour offences fell 6.8 per cent.
Mr Rodwell said the marginal fall in overall offending could not disguise the scale of Victoria’s retail crime crisis.
“Any reduction in violence is welcome, but 14 assaults every day at retail locations is still completely unacceptable, especially given the vulnerability of women and young people working in retail,” Mr Rodwell said.
“Retailers and their workers still confront an extraordinary level of crime and deeply traumatic incidents daily. There’s a significant way to go in getting this crisis is under control.”
The Victorian Government’s workplace protection order legislation passed parliament earlier this month. However, the scheme will not commence until March 2027 and, without urgent interim orders, remains weaker than the protections available in other parts of the country.
Mr Rodwell said this made a permanent, visible police response even more urgent as retailers and their workers head into the peak trading season.
“Victoria needs a permanent, dedicated statewide retail-crime taskforce that builds on the success of Operation Pulse and targets the repeat offenders causing the greatest harm,” he said.
“This would send an unmistakable message that Victoria will no longer tolerate retail workers being threatened, intimidated or attacked simply for doing their jobs.
“Retailers need confidence that Victoria is a safe place to employ people, serve customers, invest and do business. Restoring that confidence must be a priority for whoever forms government after the election.”
About us: Australian Retail Council (ARC) represents a $444 billion sector that employs 1.4 million Australians across metropolitan, regional, and remote communities – making retail the largest private sector employer in the country and a significant contributor to the Australian economy. Our membership spans the full spectrum of Australian retail, from family-owned small and independent retailers that make up 95% of our membership, through to our largest national and international retailers that employ thousands of Australians and support both metropolitan and regional communities every day.
