The shift doesn’t end at the exit: CPTED for safer staff journeys

Last month I delivered a keynote at the ARA × NRA Retail Crime Symposium in Melbourne, in the session “The Human Impact of Retail Crime: Prioritising People and Wellbeing.”

When most people think about retail crime, they think about theft — the $9 billion a year lost to damages and stolen stock. But the human cost is staggering, and far less understood. In the past year there were 800,000 incidents reported nationally, with 70% of retailers experiencing more theft and over half reporting physical abuse of staff. What’s even more concerning is that much of the physical and mental abuse directed at retail staff goes unreported, making the true impact even greater.

My keynote focused on this people side of crime prevention—showing how CPTED (Crime Prevention Through Environmental Design) can help create safer staff journeys beyond the store exit. Simple, practical moves—clear and direct routes to staff parking, good lighting that supports visibility, line-of-sight from back-of-house to public areas, and operational procedures that align with design—can make a real difference to staff safety and wellbeing.

Thank you to the Australian Retailers Association and the National Retail Association for hosting such an important conversation and for the opportunity to share CPTED strategies that keep people at the forefront of this important issue.