Michael Hill Jeweller has employed security guards to protect all its North Island stores, announcing the move after its Hastings store and a handful of other stores were raided in daylight heists.
Its two stores in Hawke’s Bay - in Hastings and Napier - have now beefed up their security as part of the move.
The jewellery chain has suffered a spate of daylight burglaries in recent weeks, including in Hamilton (April 21 and April 25), Taupō (April 24), Hastings (April 30), New Plymouth (May 5) and central Wellington (on Saturday).
A business association in Hawke’s Bay says it is good to see the company introducing security guards to protect its staff rather than opting to close local stores.
Video of the mid-afternoon burglary in Hastings was captured by shocked bystanders and showed a car - which was stolen - on the footpath outside the jeweller.
“Three people have exited the vehicle and forced entry to the store, while one person remained in the vehicle. Two staff members were working at the time who locked themselves in the back room of the shop,” Detective Sergeant Darren Pritchard said.
“The offenders have spent less than a minute in the store, using a hammer to smash glass cabinets and take several items, before getting back into the vehicle and leaving.”
The offenders’ vehicle was found abandoned in another suburb of Hastings not long after the incident.
As of Tuesday, police had recovered “a small number of items believed to have been stolen during this burglary” and two youths were arrested and referred to Youth Services for receiving stolen property. No other arrests have been made at this stage.
Michael Hill Jeweller has employed security guards at Auckland stores but has expanded that presence to its outlets across the rest of the North Island, numbering 34 stores in total.
Michael Hill CEO Daniel Bracken said this week the guards would be in addition to existing measures such as fog cannons, alarm screamers and security cameras.
“The key priority for us is the protection of our team members and customers.
“Every New Zealander should be able to go to work or visit a store and feel safe.”
He noted police had been quick to respond to incidents and, for those offenders who had been arrested, most were teens.
Prime Minister Chris Hipkins spoke to Newstalk ZB’s Mike Hosking about the move and said, “I do understand the anxiety and concern.”
“Police are working hard and the Government has been supporting them in terms of aggravated robbery.
”I don’t think businesses should go to that length.
”If you look at the apprehension rate it is quite high - police have been doing a good job.”
Security guards have been spotted outside Michael Hill Jeweller stores in Hawke’s Bay since last week.
Along Napier’s main shopping strip, Emerson St, Michael Hill is the only store with a guard visible at the entrance during the day.
Napier City Business general manager Pip Thompson said she was not aware of any other retailers around Napier considering the same measure at this stage.
She said it was good to see Michael Hill putting in that added security measure for the welfare of its staff, following incidents at a number of its stores.
“What is also pleasing is they are choosing to put in security guards rather than choosing [to close].”
She said the introduction of the Napier Assist team a year ago, which sees assisting officers walking around the CBD and interacting with businesses and shoppers to provide added safety, had also made a good impact.