The Motor Trade Association has come up with a retail crime wish list for the government. It wants a bold, innovative approach, increased security measures, more involvement from the police, is especially around the sharing of offending online. First Retail Group Managing Director First Retailers a retail business consultancy. By the way, First Retail Group Managing Director Chris Wilkinson is with me. Chris, good morning, Good morning, Ryan.

The Motor Trade Association has come up with a retail crime wish list for the government. It wants a bold, innovative approach, increased security measures, more involvement from the police, is especially around the sharing of offending online. First Retail Group Managing Director First Retailers a retail business consultancy. By the way, First Retail Group Managing Director Chris Wilkinson is with me. Chris, good morning, Good morning, Ryan.

How are you.

How are you.

I'm well, thank you. One of the things that caught my attention from this wish list from the MTA is getting rebates on fuel taxes. This is the businesses when fuel is stolen from them.

I'm well, thank you. One of the things that caught my attention from this wish list from the MTA is getting rebates on fuel taxes. This is the businesses when fuel is stolen from them.

Absolutely. Look, I think this is something that very few of us realized, but the reality is that these retailers have to pay that tax, whether they sell it or stolen from them.

Absolutely. Look, I think this is something that very few of us realized, but the reality is that these retailers have to pay that tax, whether they sell it or stolen from them.

So they're wanting basically the government to give them, well, not a handout, but to compensate for that.

So they're wanting basically the government to give them, well, not a handout, but to compensate for that.

Yeah, and when you think about it, it's entirely realistic. You know, this is something that they would have otherwise been able to claim the tax on and they're not having that chance to How much.

Yeah, and when you think about it, it's entirely realistic. You know, this is something that they would have otherwise been able to claim the tax on and they're not having that chance to How much.

Do you know, is there a figure on how much gas fuel is stolen.

Do you know, is there a figure on how much gas fuel is stolen.

Look, I don't have a figure on it, but the reality is it's happening more and more and it's a very challenging situation for the sector.

Look, I don't have a figure on it, but the reality is it's happening more and more and it's a very challenging situation for the sector.

What about the prepay because most places I would assume have prepaid these days, so you avoid the problem altogether, don't you.

What about the prepay because most places I would assume have prepaid these days, so you avoid the problem altogether, don't you.

Well look in urban areas, yes, prepay is it's kind of what's happening at the moment. But for many of these retailers, they're in the provincial areas, you know, the heart of community businesses that people visit on a daily basis to get their milk, get their pies, to get their lunch supplies, and having the prepay model. Firstly, it's an expensive thing to implement, but for many of these smaller tell us it's just not practical.

Well look in urban areas, yes, prepay is it's kind of what's happening at the moment. But for many of these retailers, they're in the provincial areas, you know, the heart of community businesses that people visit on a daily basis to get their milk, get their pies, to get their lunch supplies, and having the prepay model. Firstly, it's an expensive thing to implement, but for many of these smaller tell us it's just not practical.

They want to share footage. So when you get some you know, some homie turning up and stealing fuel and it's caught on CCTV camera, they want to be sharing this more. Do you agree with that?

They want to share footage. So when you get some you know, some homie turning up and stealing fuel and it's caught on CCTV camera, they want to be sharing this more. Do you agree with that?

Yeah, absolutely, We've got to be much harder at the moment. We're working over in the UK and you know there's a real push now from the government and from the businesses to start freeing up some of these privacy laws because many of these offenders are hiding behind them and they.

Yeah, absolutely, We've got to be much harder at the moment. We're working over in the UK and you know there's a real push now from the government and from the businesses to start freeing up some of these privacy laws because many of these offenders are hiding behind them and they.

Can right so you get your CCTV catches them, you know it's them that's that's stolen something, but you can't show the face online and say, you know, this person stole from me because they have it hasn't been proven in a court of law.

Can right so you get your CCTV catches them, you know it's them that's that's stolen something, but you can't show the face online and say, you know, this person stole from me because they have it hasn't been proven in a court of law.

That's right. There are ways that these can be shared within private networks quite legitimately. But I think that they're starting to say, look, we know that people are hiding behind these thoughts now and because of the changes in the way this kind of activity is happening, the prevalence of it and the impact it's having on our communities and our economies, that we need to actually get a lot tougher.

That's right. There are ways that these can be shared within private networks quite legitimately. But I think that they're starting to say, look, we know that people are hiding behind these thoughts now and because of the changes in the way this kind of activity is happening, the prevalence of it and the impact it's having on our communities and our economies, that we need to actually get a lot tougher.

Thanks so much for your time, Chris Wilkinson, First Retail Group Managing Director, talking about the Motor Trade Association's wish list for the government.

Thanks so much for your time, Chris Wilkinson, First Retail Group Managing Director, talking about the Motor Trade Association's wish list for the government.

For more from News Talks B listen live on air or online, and keep our shows with you wherever you go with our podcasts on Iartradio.

For more from News Talks B listen live on air or online, and keep our shows with you wherever you go with our podcasts on Iartradio.