"Professional shoplifting" is on the rise with Australian retailers joining forces to stem billions of dollars in losses annually.
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It comes as a 23.7 per cent increase in retail theft was recorded in NSW in the 12 months to December 2022, according to the latest Bureau of Crime Statistics and Research data.
Australian Retailers Association chief executive Paul Zahra told ACM the rise in organised crime, which he described as "professional shoplifting", had multiple people work together to steal items and then sell them for a profit - or try to return them to the store for a refund.
"For department stores it's generally smaller, higher value items like personal accessories, jewellery and electronics," he said.
"If they're on-selling it then it's another reason to go for a higher priced item."
Mr Zahra said shoplifting was a serious concern, costing the retail industry billions of dollars a year.
The rise has resulted in a retail advisory committee being launched with police, government and retailers mobilising to share insights into the situation and address the problem.
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New technologies could be part of the answer, including radio frequency identification (RFID) that can track stolen items and help stores identify when thieves were trying to return them for a refund.
![Shoplifters are targeting pricier products like red meat. File picture. Shoplifters are targeting pricier products like red meat. File picture.](/images/transform/v1/crop/frm/206436302/2dfff947-40c7-4c71-a258-6809c0e306ab.png/r0_0_1600_900_w1200_h678_fmax.jpg)
Shoplifting can have devastating consequences for businesses, with a two to three per cent loss of stock potentially amounting to a 25 per cent loss in profit, Mr Zahra said.