A cheap shop operator with nearly 50 years of business experience has closed his doors for the last time out of frustration with shoplifters who “have the balance of power”.
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Stuart McLachlan was, for much of his working life, an accountant based on William Street, Raymond Terrace and in recent years the front man of Bail Thai, an import business with retail space in Terrace Central.
“They always resist, they never want to show you their bags,” he said.
“You never win, you only get stuck with the damage and expense.”
Terrace Central’s new owner Panthera Group has begun to address the issue though it said the problem wasn’t restricted to its premises. Trained security staff and cameras form part of a “proactive management program” but Mr McLachlan won’t be around to see it since he shut shop for good, last week. Three incidents in the past year had convinced him “enough was enough”.
In one of those Mr McLachlan was threatened over a faulty battery in a $5 toy – despite offering to replace it.
“I’m 73 years old and [the shopper] said, ‘come out here, I want to whack you’. This is a daily and weekly occurrence,” he said.
In another incident a friend of Mr McLachlan’s was left in charge of the store when he approached an alleged shoplifter, believed to be under the influence of an illicit drug. A scuffle ensued and the acting manager had to seek medical attention after he came into contact with the shopper’s blood.
“He went off for a blood test but he had to wait six months for the all-clear,” Mr McLachlan said.
In the third incident a female cashier asked a shopper to produce a bag over the believed theft of four dresses.
“[The shopper] broke my cash register,” Mr McLachlan said. “The shoplifting laws are a complete joke. At worst they get a $300 fine.”
Panthera Group CEO Chakyl Camal, owner of Terrace Central, said he was “very aware of the shoplifting issue within the Raymond Terrace area” and was “proactively trying to reduce incidences with Terrace Central”.
“We have a comprehensive security management program in place which includes trained security staff on site and CCTV,” he said.
“After 6pm we close off part of the shopping centre so that security can focus on monitoring the area where shops are still trading.”
Mr Camal said management was in regular discussions with retailers.
“We’ll be discussing recent incidents with retailers and making sure that the police are aware of the ongoing nature of the shoplifting problem,” he said.
“Unfortunately shoplifting is a problem being experienced by many store owners throughout the Raymond Terrace area.”
