Josefa Sigavolavola 
[Photo: File]
Businesses are becoming increasingly reluctant to report shoplifting incidents.
Speaking to FBCNews, Suva Retailers Association President Jitesh Patel cited the lengthy and time-consuming process required to lodge formal complaints with police.
He says retailers often spend hours reporting a single theft, forcing some businesses to deal with offenders themselves rather than pursue formal action.
“It takes about four or five hours just to report a matter to the police and then go to the station, write all the reports and all those things, so the process is too long. Most businesses don’t have that much time to go and do all these things. If they get someone, they try to solve it at the same time.”
The concerns come amid an increase in shoplifting incidents, which businesses say are placing additional pressure on retailers already facing challenging economic conditions.
While break-ins have reportedly declined, grab-and-run thefts also remain a concern.
The association president says business owners in the capital are also calling for tougher penalties for repeat offenders, arguing that current sentences are not acting as an effective deterrent and may be contributing to repeat offending.
