Shoplifters meet their match in novice guard

By PAUL YANDALL

He has nabbed them with packs of meat stuffed down their pants. He has grabbed them with bottles of wine slipped up their sleeves. He has even bagged them smuggling chocolate out in their armpits.

Novice security guard Gilbert "Gillie" Henare is single-handedly turning an ailing Hamilton shopping centre into a thief-free zone after catching 53 shoplifters within three weeks - 30 in his first five days on the beat.

The Grand View Shopping Mall in Nawton had been plagued for months by gangs of thieves who would intimidate customers and retailers before pilfering from the mall's dozen shops.

Previous security guards and Maori warden patrols could not stop the rot. Customers stayed away and business began to slump.

Enter Mr Henare, a pub bouncer and unqualified mall security guard.

He was astounded at the extent of the problem when he started work three weeks ago. "I came in and it was full of a real rough element hanging around inside, outside, everywhere here."

Since then he has been busy handing out trespass notices and contacting police and parents where necessary. The only one to get away was a thief who led him on a gasping chase through three suburban blocks, dashing through backyards, leaping over fences and eventually heading off down a deserted road.

Mr Henare said he had no formal qualifications for the security work but relied on common sense and looking for tell-tale signs.

"They use a lot of tricks to smuggle stuff out. You look for things like the bulging stomach, loose sleeves, bags.

"Once you've seen it a few times, you know what to look for."

Kay Park, of JKs Childrenswear, said customers had become too afraid to enter the mall. "One of my customers pulled up outside and started crying when she was abused. She was too scared to come inside."

The mall's property manager, Anna Barker, said the businesses - 11 specialty shops and a Foodtown supermarket - had been astonished at Mr Henare's impact.

Chris Mangan of Waikato Security Services, which provides security for a number of shopping centres in the city, was also surprised at the numbers being nabbed.

"Fifty-three sounds really extreme. It's pretty high by anyone's standards."

He said the mall had been a problem for his firm. Two of his officers had been assaulted there this year.

But he warned that although Mr Henare seemed to be doing a good job, he was not a registered security officer and the mall had to be careful his employment did not break the law.