A PLEA TO THE VICTORIAN AND AUSTRALIAN GOVERNMENTS FROM SHOPKEEPER CRIME VICTIMS

 The Victorian and Federal Governments must implement a coordinated strategy to address the state’s terrifying spate of armed robberies linked directly to bootleg tobacco.
Media reports out today detail the extent of the crisis with 450 armed robberies across Victoria between March 2016 and March 2017.
This crime wave is funding organised crime syndicates and fuelling the black market in tobacco, and it is time for different levels of government and agencies within it to take coordinated action.
New footage released today by Crime Stoppers shows the confronting reality faced by retail workers – brazen criminals armed with dangerous weapons, kicking in doors and traumatising staff. 
Australasian Association of Convenience Stores CEO Jeff Rogut, said the footage and the figures were horrifying.
“Let’s not kid ourselves, what’s happening here is crime gangs are smashing our shops, traumatising our staff, stealing our cigarettes, reselling them and then reaping the rewards,” said Rogut.
“Sometimes they aren’t even interested in what’s in the till, it’s the cigarettes that are worth more than $250 a carton, and are easy to turn around and sell.
“These crimes take an extraordinarily heavy psychological toll on workers, who are threatened with guns and knives.
“It’s a state issue because of the street crime, but it’s also a national one because these gangs work across borders, and are also selling stuff that avoids in the order of $1.6 billion in excise.
“It leaves our shops smashed up and our staff traumatised and puts billions of dollars in lost tax revenue up in smoke, and we need a co-ordinated, well resources approach to tackle it.
“We appreciate the efforts of Victoria Police in adopting new measures to improve intelligence sharing between commands, to catch those responsible for these robberies.
“But the fact is they need help to address this growing crime epidemic – and we need a coordinated approach to address what’s really fuelling it all – illegal tobacco.
“It’s time for the Governments to come up with a strategy that addresses this crime crisis and the underlying causes – for the safety of the workers, and the good of the state’s economy.”
Media enquiries:
Jeff Rogut                                                                                                       
Chief Executive Officer                                                                         
Australasian Association of Convenience Stores                               
Ph: +61 467 873 789