Denise Garland: Retail NZ Advocacy Manager on Shoplifting rising to its highest level in 15 years

Early Edition with Ryan Bridge · Aug 4, 2026 · 3m · transcript

There's scepticism from retailers that Police will turn up to a theft as shoplifting rises to a record high.

Official Information Act data shows Police laid the highest number of shoplifting charges in 15 years across the 2024/25 year.

This resulted in the highest number of convictions being dished out in the country’s courts.

Retail NZ Advocacy Manager Denise Garland told Ryan Bridge Police are stretched and says it's the lower levels of retail crime they sometimes miss.

She says they'll attend when there's harm and threatening behaviour.

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