The National Retail Association (NRA) has partnered with retail crime software company, Auror, in a bid to address retail violence and crime across Australia.

With retail crimes becoming more violent and organised, the partnership will help policymakers and the public better understand the severity of the issue, and provide technology-based solutions.

“Retailers and police are collaborating through Auror technology to surface the full scale of this problem, and dedicated police operations across the country can now address retail crime head-on,” said NRA interim CEO Lindsay Carroll.

Carroll stated that the NRA, soon to merge with the Australian Retailers Association (ARA) and form the Australian Retail Council, was collaborating with Auror to “create safer environments for the 1.6 million Australian frontline retail workers”.

Australian retailers using Auror saw a 66 per cent increase in the use of weapons and a 30 per cent rise in violence last year. 

“We know 10 per cent of offenders are responsible for more than 60 per cent of the total crime in retail – these are repeat offenders that are putting retail workers in harm’s way,” said Nick McDonnell, Auror senior director trust and safety. 

“Meanwhile, violence, threats, aggression, abuse and even weapons are involved in every one in four events.”

McDonnell stated that the partnership would aim to reduce violent retail crime by 50 per cent in the next five years and serve as a call to action for the retailer and law enforcement communities. 

“Through technology-enabled collaboration, we can help police be more efficient, getting more officers back on the beat and focused on repeat and high-harm offenders,” he said.