Michael Hill Jeweller has announced the closure of its Whakatāne store on June 29 due to a string of criminal incidents.
Despite significant investment in enhanced security measures, including fog cannons, additional security cameras, alarm screamers, and personal alarms for staff, the store has faced a surge in break-ins and smash-and-grab robberies, some occurring during business hours.
The decision to close was made after the store experienced repeated incidents, including an aggravated burglary last month and a smash-and-grab raid in May 2021. The incidents have significantly impacted the store’s operations and safety.
Michael Hill CEO Daniel Bracken told legacy media he was disappointed over the closure, but the impact of retail crime on their New Zealand operations was too high, saying the safety and wellbeing of team members and customers remained a top priority.
Loyal customers are encouraged to use Michael Hill’s digital channels and other stores in the Bay of Plenty.
This is why we can’t have nice things
We are finding a trend in line with what is happening in US cities
The end result is we pay more
Shoplifting is Changing NYC… Permanently
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=piGDJyNGT2o
This is why we need armed guards at the entrances and inside these stores that have high-value merchandise.
Dairy owners also need to arm themselves, and the fog cannons are useless, and actually block the images of the robbers / burglars / ram-raiders from the CCTV cameras.