Unlawful and disorderly NZ revealed in serious retail crime stats.

With Goldfields Mall in Thames ramraided a second time in as many months, dairy owners can reveal a shocking blowout in Crimes Act offences, which surged 44% higher in 2022 with 30,130 more Crimes Act offences for a total of 99,045 serious offences last year.   

 “We can answer Minister Megan Woods insulting throwaway line after revealing retail crime had doubled. These aren’t "kids stealing 20c bag of lollies,” says Sunny Kaushal, Chair of the Dairy and Business Owners’ Group Incorporated. 

“Minister Woods dismissiveness was insulting when one of our guys was murdered last year.  Being a former Police Minister, she should know there were 99,045 Crimes Act offences in 2022 taking it to just under six-figures for the first time ever.  That’s on her government.   

“It also tells Kiwis exactly what priority law and order has with her government.  In 2022, an average of 11 Crimes Act offences took place every hour of every day.  A whopping increase of 30,130 Crimes Act offences in 2022 over 2021.   

“These are bad crimes too.  Intentional injury was up 22% on 2021. Sexual assault was up 6%, Robbery was up 17% while Burglary was up a massive 48% on 2021 with thefts up 44% too. The victims of unlawful and disorderly NZ deserve an apology from you, Minister. 

“Every Police District saw retail crime blow out.  The best performing district was Eastern that “only” recorded a 27% increase in retail crime last year.  The worst was Counties-Manukau where retail crime exploded 70% with Canterbury not far behind. 

“As for the first five months of 2023, there has already been 44,624 Crimes Act offences. That’s an average of 8,924 retail crime offences a month or 297 taking place every day. 

“We know from previous data that a new operating model adopted by Police brass in 2017 but this has been a disaster and prosecutions make this as plain as day. 

“Despite 99,045 Crimes Act Offences committed in 2022, less than 6.5% (6,404 out of 99,045 offences) actually saw the inside of a Court room. This makes us nostalgic for Stuart Nash, because in 2019, it was actually 12.7% (7,769 out of 60,728 offences). 

“Things are so soft on crime that 2022 Court proceedings were 18% less than 2019, despite Crimes Act Offences in 2022 being 63% higher.  It’s criminal there’s so much criminality and all recent. 

“Amazingly 2,099 offenders received “non-court action” or a warning.  Even when they do the crime, 91% get away with thefts, bashings, robbery, burglary or worse. 

“Of real concern is that 1,708 offenders were kids aged under 10 to 17.  We welcome some inroads here, but they represent the few Police managed to catch. The vast majority of offenders aren’t brought to justice, so the odds are stacked in favour of offenders.

“This is why we need reform to the laws around Citizens’ Arrest and self-defence to give Kiwis the tools to stop disorder. To get the crime genie back into the bottle by returning to the pre 2017 Policing model that worked.

“That won’t happen if Ministers like Megan Woods treat murder, physical and sexual assault and robbery of retailers as something to be played down.

“And with cigarettes and vapes often targeted, we ask if crime is feeding youth access,” Mr Kaushal said.