The American supermarket chain in Geraldton set no entry rules for teenagers since it witnessed an increased crime of petty theft towards store employees.
To ensure the safety of the customers and staff and to avoid petty crimes in the supermarket, the IGA store owners of the Righters, Queens, and Wonthela IGA stores, decided to put a no-entry board for unsupervised teenagers after 6 p.m.
General manager Kyme Rigter spoke to 6PR Perth on the issue, stating, “Theft and shoplifting have always been a part of retail. But we have noticed over the last four or five months that it has increased.”
The retailers claim that supermarkets are hit by an average of 35 petty crimes each week. The crimes are often committed by repeat offenders.
After the recent controversy of Perth Hungry Jack’s outlet deciding to stop selling groceries to people under 17 without parental supervision, the IGA stores found it meaningful to implement the same to their supermarket chain.
Casual store manager John Castillo said the restaurant’s staff were allegedly getting harassed by teenagers, and the ban on teenagers is to protect the store employees.
The news of the ban on teenagers went viral on social media and got appraisals from the locals for the move protecting staff from crimes.
- Published By Team Australia News
