Intersport Mildura is located on one of north-west Victoria’s busiest streets, yet customers are required to ring a doorbell if they want to enter through the front entrance.<\/p>\n
It is one of the many measures businesses in Mildura have had to implement to curb the rising rate of retail crime in the area.<\/p>\n
The Victorian Chamber of Commerce and Industry (VCCI) has revealed more than 90 per cent of employers in the state are worried about staff safety.<\/p>\n
A VCCI survey of more than 1,400 businesses found one in two companies were dealing with crime and antisocial behaviour every week, with 15 per cent reporting daily incidents.<\/p>\n
Intersport owner Mark O’Donnell said shutting the door helped make customers and staff feel safer.<\/p>\n
“We don’t want [customers] leaving the shop feeling really uncomfortable because our staff were distracted watching someone trying to steal at the same time they’re trying to organise getting something for sales,” he said.<\/p>\n
Last month, the sports store’s employees were involved in an incident with a customer, where two staff members required medical attention.<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
Mark O’Donnell says staff and customer safety is paramount. (ABC News: Nethma Dandeniya)<\/p>\n
Mr O’Donnell said it was an unfortunate situation, but the staff members were safe and well.<\/p>\n
He said the store had cameras and security tags and staff were all trained to deal with dangerous situations, but extra security measures came at a cost to the business.\u00a0<\/p>\n
He said customers could access a rear door, which staff could better monitor.<\/p>\n
“We are a small business and we have to stay in business. I can’t afford to have security guards at doors. I can’t afford to have all these other measures in place,” he said.<\/p>\n
“It is a day-to-day process to survive with all these extra measures you have to have in your business.”<\/p>\n
Costly security measures<\/p>\n
At nearby Deakin Motorcycles, owner Timothy Harrison said the business had been the target of several thefts in recent years.<\/p>\n
He said the business had spent about $40,000 improving security.<\/p>\n
“We’ve had to put bars through all the windows to stop them from breaking windows and wheeling bikes out,” Mr Harrison said.<\/p>\n
“We do have cameras and things like that, but they don’t seem to offer much assistance to us.”<\/p>\n
Deakin Motorcycles installed metal bars along its shop window to deter criminals. (ABC Mildura Swan Hill: Sarah Buchecker)<\/p>\n
Mr Harrison said he would need to employ more staff to prevent small thefts occurring, but as a small business it couldn’t afford the extra expense.<\/p>\n
“We had an incident just recently where a young fellow was trying to force the door at the front there. He [was] just kicking into it and putting his hip and shoulder into it to try to break the lock, and actually broke the glass,” he said.<\/p>\n
“They didn’t get into the shop, but that’s $1000 just for him to break the glass and wander off. Things like that are another expense.<\/p>\n
“Unfortunately, this industry doesn’t have a lot of margin in its profit, so [theft] does impact us a fair amount and we can’t absorb those costs.”<\/p>\n
Mildura a ‘hot spot’ for retail crime<\/p>\n
According to the Crime Statistics Agency, in the 2024\/25 financial year there were 927 incidents of retail crime in Mildura, up 24 per cent from the previous year’s total of 745.<\/p>\n
In the same period, retail theft increased from 357 offences to 506, a 41 per cent increase in the past year and a 143 per cent increase since 2020.<\/p>\n