Retail theft has reached a record high in Victoria, with new figures showing more than 37,000 offences were recorded in stores during the year to June 2026.

Crime Statistics Agency data shows 96,008 offences were recorded across Victorian retail locations during the 12-month period, equivalent to around 263 offences each day or one every five-and-a-half minutes. It was the second-highest total recorded in the past decade.

The figures include a record 37,398 steal-from-a-retail-store offences, an increase of 2.3 per cent from the previous year. That equates to around 102 theft offences every day.

Victoria’s numbers were higher than NSW, which recorded 32,835 retail theft incidents in the 12 months to June, or almost 90 a day.

While theft increased, overall offending at Victorian retail locations fell 3 per cent year-on-year. Assault offences declined 6.1 per cent, while stalking, harassment and threatening behaviour offences fell 6.8 per cent.

However, 5,120 assault offences were still recorded at retail locations during the year, equivalent to 14 every day.

Australian Retail Council CEO Chris Rodwell said the record level of theft remained a major concern for retailers, employees and customers.

“Retail theft is not a victimless crime. It drives up costs, puts workers and customers at risk and ultimately the whole community pays,” Rodwell said.

The figures come as retailers continue to push for stronger measures targeting repeat offenders and violence against retail employees.

The Victorian Government’s workplace protection order legislation passed Parliament earlier this month, but the scheme is not scheduled to begin until March 2027. The Australian Retail Council has argued the legislation should include urgent interim orders and has also called for a permanent statewide retail-crime taskforce.

Rodwell said the decline in some offence categories was encouraging but argued the number of assaults remained too high, particularly given the number of women and young people employed in retail.

The Council is calling for a permanent police response building on Victoria Police’s Operation Pulse, which has increased police visibility and enforcement in high-risk shopping areas. The Victorian Government recently announced an additional 150 Protective Services Officers and an extension of Operation Pulse until the end of next year.

The latest figures also underline the longer-term growth in retail crime. In the year to June 2025, Victoria recorded 99,114 retail offences, up 20 per cent from 82,748 a year earlier, while theft from retail stores had increased 26 per cent.

With retailers heading towards the peak Christmas trading period, the industry is pushing for further measures to protect staff and customers and reduce repeat offending.