The retail liquor industry is calling for urgent government action on crime, safety and security following rising theft rates across Australia.

In the latest incident, seven people have been arrested and more than $125,000 worth of stolen goods seized – including whiskey and spirits – following police disrupting another retail theft syndicate in Victoria.

The arrests come as retail thefts across Victoria hit record highs, with the crime rising by almost 40 per cent in the last year alone.

The most common item stolen from retail stores is alcohol, with organised groups of shop stealers working together to steal goods and on-sell them for a profit.

It will be alleged this syndicate stole more than $320,000 worth of alcohol, beauty and health products from major retailers across Melbourne this year.

The thieves then allegedly on-sold the stolen goods to both business and individual receivers in the St Albans area.

One alleged receiver – a bottle shop owner – was arrested during a search warrant on Main Road on 25 June.

Data from Victoria’s Crime Statistics Agency shows store thefts across Victoria have almost doubled since 2022, with a third of all thefts from stores being related to alcohol.

Victoria isn’t the only state faces skyrocketing liquor theft rates. Last week in South Australia, a security guard was assaulted during a liquor store theft at Davoren Park.

Police were called to a licensed premises on 27 June after three youths stole items from the liquor store. A security guard was assaulted by the young males when he confronted the thieves.

Last month, a man wielding a Crocodile Dundee-style knife in one hand and an ice pipe in the other held up a Thebarton bottle shop; while a man wielding a large kitchen knife robbed a Cellarbrations bottle shop in Gungahlin, ACT, in broad daylight.

In Hobart on 4 May, four youths aged between 11 and 14 were charged with stealing from a bottle shop.

“Tasmania Police is committed to protecting the community and local businesses and detecting and preventing anti-social and criminal behaviour to make our public spaces safer for everyone,” a spokesperson said.

“Our community deserves to feel safe at home, out in public and in their workplaces.”

These are just a handful of the cases that have been reported in recent months.

Retail Drinks CEO Michael Waters said: “Retail liquor stores are being targeted daily, and without immediate government intervention, we risk store closures, lost jobs, and further harm to the community.

“Crime across the entire retail sector has been escalating at alarming rates with liquor being one of the most frequently stolen items due to its portability, high value and ease of consumption.” 

Retail Drinks Australia recently released its Retail Liquor Industry Safety & Security Report, which revealed that liquor store workers and customers are facing escalating levels of theft, violence and safety risks.

Conducted in partnership with Circana and Axon, it surveyed more than 1000 liquor store owners, staff and their customers on retail liquor safety and security.

Findings included:

• 11% of all customers had witnessed an incident
• Almost 50% of staff experience security incidents weekly or more
• 40% of customers have changed their shopping behaviour due to safety concerns
• Only 47% of security incidents are reported to police, due to low confidence in response outcomes
• Most stores operate without the necessary security measures in place, largely due to prohibitive costs.

The report was distributed to key industry stakeholders, government policymakers and law enforcement agencies, with Retail Drinks calling on Governments to increase police resources, get tougher on crime and support impacted businesses to fund security measures.

Read the report here.

Surging prices fuel bootleg booze industry

Soaring alcohol excise taxes have also been blamed for driving growth in thefts and the black market for alcohol.

In 2022-23, around $710million, or 88.8% of unreported alcohol duty was recorded due to the black market or “shadow economy” according to the ATO.

It’s estimated that 2.4 million bottles of illegal alcohol enter the market every year. 

Alcohol Beverages Australia Executive Director Alistair Coe told The Australian twice yearly excise increases were a “blunt policy instrument” that were encouraging the production and sale of illicit alcohol.

“Not only is the commonwealth losing considerable revenue, but the illicit alcohol sold can be quite dangerous,” Coe said.

Last year, Victoria Police and the ATO uncovered a billion-dollar liquor substitution racket that involved crime syndicates mixed denatured spirits such as those used for paint stripper, with whisky and vodka, which was subsequently sold at pubs, nightclubs and music festivals.

An ATO spokeperson said that organised crime liquor operations were on the rise.

“The ATO is obviously concerned about the tax leakage and the unfair impact on businesses that do the right thing, as well as the broader community threats, including the health and safety risks inherent in the consumption of illegally manufactured alcohol,” said the spokesperson. 

Inspectors from Liquor & Gaming NSW seized 191 bottles and cans of alcohol from an unlicensed supermarket in Camperdown in Sydney’s inner west in September 2024.

Oriental Express on Parramatta Road is alleged to have sold alcohol to covert inspectors on 28 August 2024. The supermarket does not hold a liquor licence.

The drinks for sale on the supermarket shelves ranged in alcohol content from 4.5 per cent to 56 per cent.

They included Sizak Soju in various flavours, Golden River and Pearl River beer, Jiang Xiaobai fruit cube and Jiang Xiaobai fruit cube grape.

Liquor & Gaming NSW Executive Director Regulatory Operations Jane Lin said: “What is most concerning in cases like this is that unlicensed premises are not subject to the same legislative controls as licensed premises are, which increases the risk of alcohol-related harm occurring.

“This could include someone under the age of 18 purchasing a drink with a very high alcohol content.

“Licensed supermarkets have particular controls in place to prevent minors purchasing alcohol or even being in the liquor sales area without a responsible adult.

“The seized drinks are not clearly marked in English as alcoholic and the packaging of some of them may appeal to minors with bright colours, fruits and emojis.

“Children consuming drinks with an alcohol content as high as 56 per cent could have tragic consequences.”