Disgruntled Wagga businesses have been forced to employ additional staff to combat the city’s shoplifting problem, with children as young as eight targeting stores on a daily basis.
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Staff at Cobbler Road spotted a group of thieves attempting to steal a necklace before fleeing the store last Friday.
Owner Hayley Veitch said customers had reported the same group were allegedly playing chicken with cars, spitting on walking females and shoplifting in other Baylis Street stores.
Ms Veitch said the group returned on Tuesday with bum bags but staff remained alert.
“We have to employ an extra staff member now to be out on the floor at all times, just for this reason,” she said.
“Everyone seems to be having the same issue and there’s not a lot we can do.”
It’s a problem that The Reject Shop team leader Caitlin Beyer said she encounters on a daily basis.
“We’re just getting fed up now,” Ms Beyer said.
“Our company is now looking into things to see if there’s something more they can do.
“In another store we have someone walking up and down the aisles looking out for shoplifters the entire day.”
Ms Veitch said she believes the stores proximity to Wagga Marketplace, the Sturt Mall and the skate park may be attracting the attention of shoplifters.
“They hang out at the malls and then they seem to just drift,” she said.
“We’ve got to be able to do something but we can’t touch them or search their bags.
“We can only ask them to leave.”
Frustrated with the ongoing issue, Ms Veitch believes turning to social media is one of the only deterrents left.
She now wants to see a social media page specifically for business owners and workers to identity the alleged criminals and discourage other would-be shoplifters.
“The last time I posted about a group we didn’t see them back again,” she said.
“We need this so we can post images from CCTV and put out a warning straight away.
“Then all the businesses can quickly get tagging.”
