Grocery shop worker Ted Bray says he no longer feels safe doing his job after several violent encounters with thieves. Statistics show retail theft has risen sharply in the state over the last two years.
Retail theft in New South Wales is on the rise and workers in the New England region say they fear for their safety after several violent incidents.People aged 25-39 committed almost half of all thefts in the last financial year, but some workers say younger people are frequent offendersAccording to the Bureau of Crime Statistics and Research , retail thief in regional areas and Greater Sydney have risen by 34.5 per cent and 54.7 per cent, respectively, in the last two years.
"They are just coming in and taking what they want — we can't touch them so they just walk out and abuse the crap out of you as they go," he says.Mr Bray tried to report the death threat but said the local police did not answer the phone."This sort of stuff happens all the time — they are snowed under."
Mr Bray submitted a report to upper management and security guards are now employed at the store on weekends.According to BOCSAR, hard liquor is the most commonly stolen item in the state."We had a young fella come in and I saw him steal a bottle," Mr Bray said."It's not a good feeling — you come to work safe and you want to go home safe."Co-worker Bree McCowen says reporting a theft can be a long process and that it seems to do little to deter offenders.
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