South Australia has experienced a massive increase in theft-related crimes in the last month, and yeah, the cost of living crisis will do that to you.
According to the latest monthly crime stats (March 2024), theft-related offences have risen by 12 percent in the last year. Shoplifting, specifically, has jumped by 29 percent year-on-year — which mirrors a nationwide trend.
“In SA, police have been working proactively with the retail sector and individual businesses in the city that have been frequently targeted to reduce the harm caused by recidivist offenders,’’ Police Commissioner Grant Stevens said.
“This significant factor has contributed to businesses increasing their reporting which has in turn assisted police in combating the problem.
“While such reporting elevates the statistics for shop theft, it gives a much clearer picture of the extent of the problem while at the same time providing greater opportunities to both apprehend and deter recidivist offenders.
“This increased reporting trend is expected to continue and will further elevate the statistics.’’
1,455 shoplifting offences were recorded in March alone, which is actually a decrease from January — when 1,721 offences were recorded. In total, almost 19,000 South Australians have been caught shoplifting in the last 12 months.
While police note that increased reporting gives more opportunity to punish shoplifters, they stopped short of actually acknowledging the root cause of the issue — the cost of living crisis.
According to the new report, police are engaging in several tactics to crack down on shoplifting, including partnerships with privately owned third-party intelligence platforms.
“The platform allows users to track and share information relating to theft, anti-social behaviour and other security incidents. This allows police to identify recidivist offenders and target special operations,” the report reads.
The news should come as no surprise considering a recent report showed that Adelaide has experienced the biggest increase in food inflation in the last three years.
While the whole nation is struggling to cope with the fact that bread prices have jumped a whopping 41 percent since 2019, the situation is even more dire in Adelaide.
According to ABS statistics, prices in Adelaide increased by 16.4 percent between 2021 and 2023, compared to a 16 percent and 14.8 percent increase in Melbourne and Sydney, respectively.
South Australia has also seen a significant increase in people seeking help from food relief services, with demand spiking by as much as 35 percent over December and January.
The news comes amid an ongoing South Australian government price-gouging inquiry, in which major grocery chains including Coles and Woolworths will be scrutinized.
