It’s a sad, old business when part of your market update is the cost of the violent crime you are having to deal with.
Michael Hill this week talked of the sort of things businesses talk of; the downturn, the mood, the spend and the consumer. All of it's bad right now for obvious reasons.
What is interesting is they said of the various countries they operate in that New Zealand is the worst in terms of sentiment.
I wonder why.
But they talked too of the cost of security and the cost of crime, the cost of closing one of their shops because of crime.
They are not the first of course. We have previously heard from Briscoes and the millions they have to put aside each year to offset the carnage that takes place at their outlets.
Last week One NZ closed one of their shops because of damage and crime.
They told the stories of the fear of staff, all the security issues and training required and the manager who was held by the scruff of the neck for ten minutes over a returned product.
Who needs it?
That’s before you get to the astonishing footage of the petrol station attendant, who got the life beaten out of him by some thug who literally laid into him and wouldn’t stop.
He now awaits surgery on an eye, among other injuries.
So, the question is - when does it stop? When do things change? How many videos do we need to watch before the much hyped and promised crackdown happens?
The 18-year-old from the petrol station has been arrested and charged. How many years does he go to prison for? Does he go to prison? Does he have a sob story?
When do major New Zealand retailers stop having to regale the sharemarket with their profit-sapping stories of jungle behaviour and frightened staff?
No Government can solve this sort of malaise instantly, or overnight, or perhaps even quickly.
But my word, the pressure is on. When you watch that petrol station video, and we all should, we look third world, and we look lawless.
My fear is the treatment of such behaviour still leans towards forgiveness, as opposed to what should actually be happening.
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