'Giving liberty to the criminals': Shopkeeper speaks out on police memo

RNZ News

27-05-2025

Police Commissioner Richard Chambers has tried to reassure the public after the police directive was leaked.
Photo:
RNZ/Calvin Samuel
The Prime Minister Christopher Luxon says he expects police to tackle crime everywhere as he and
Police Commissioner moves to reassure the public
about a new police directive that's sparked confusion among police and caused concern among shop owners.
The directive told officers not to investigate allegations of shoplifting below $500.
While petrol drive offs below $150 and online scams under a $1000 would also not be investigated.
After attracting
some not-too-favourable headlines
, the move was slammed by the police commissioner who labelled it "confusing and unhelpful".
While the Prime Minister says the memo got it wrong and was not appropriate.
Hamilton dairy owner Manish Thakkar said the police directive gave shoplifters a free pass.
"We are giving liberty to the criminals, 'come and steal up to $500, you are free to go', so that is wrong," he said.
He said all offenders should be treated equally.
"Whether it is 500 or a thousand [dollars], their intention is to steal from the property, so all criminals should be taken equally, and the should be punishable, they are punishable."
Thakkar said crime - even crime that was perceived to be on a small -scale - had a financial impact on business owners and their emotional state.
"If a shop keeper, retailer, is fearless, he can happily enjoy his business and he can happily think about his prosperity, what next I can do for my future growth," he said.
"Right now, that [...] has been wiped out."
Liquor shop owner Ash Parmar said retailers needed confidence that reported crimes are being followed up.
"They just need to do a much more better demonstration of giving retailers confidence," he said.
"I'm aware of countless examples where high levels of thefts have happened, and the follow up has been very less than ideal, especially when so much footage has been uploaded."
He was asking questions about whether the current 105 method for reporting was up to scratch.
In Wellington, Ngaio GAS petrol Julian, who didn't want his surname published, said the rule change was quite unfair, as most drive-offs were under the new $150 threshold.
He was worried about busier stores.
"We are community based, we are not on the main road, so we kind of carry a lower risk," he said.
"However, for those petrol stations located on the main road they will be targeted again, there will be so much petrol drive offs with this."
The concern from these shop owners comes after RNZ obtained an internal police memo telling staff that said they would no longer be investigating allegations of shoplifting below $500, petrol drive offs below a $150 and online frauds below a $1000.
Police Director of Service Superintendant Blair McDonald confirmed on Monday there would be a financial threshold for investigating crimes - saying they must prioritise what resources they have.
But the Police Commissioner said the memo was confusing and unhelpful.
Richard Chambers released a statement saying retail crime is a top priority.
He said he'd asked all district commanders to continue to catch offenders wherever possible, regardless of the memo's thresholds.
Speaking in Auckland on Tuesday, Prime Minister Christopher Luxon said he expected police to tackle crime everywhere.
"We're a party of law and order, we expect our police to tackle crime everywhere, and that's good to see him clarify that this morning."
While the police commissioner hasn't said whether the directive will be reversed, the Prime Minister said the Commissioner's words offered clarity.
"It's good to see It's good to see the Police Commissioner quickly correct the memo that went out, that was wrong and not appropriate," Luxon said.
"We want our police helping New Zealanders, protecting and serving us, and hunting down crime in all sorts and all types."
But there were those who needed convincing.
The Sensible Sentencing Trust called reports of the directive 'disturbing'.
Spokesperson Louise Parsons condemned the move, saying it sent the wrong message.
"The past five or six years, retailers have been hit with an onslaught of crime, and now they're being told that crimes under certain thresholds are essentially not worth investigating," she said.
"This is a green light to criminals,"
The directive flied in the face of work already done by the Ministerial Advisory Group on Retail Crime, Parsons said.
"If we let this stand, it could undo all the progress we've worked so hard to achieve."