Australian consumers can now report suspicious activity or crime in shopping centres to Crime Stoppers Australia (CSA).
The initiative is a national campaign driven by the organisation partnering with the Shopping Centre Council of Australia (SCCA), police and government agencies to boost community safety – especially that of retailers – while minimising criminal activity within and around shopping centres.
Crime Stoppers messages, including the 1800 333 000 number, feature on digital signage in more than 100 shopping centres across the nation. SCCA members are running the advertisements for free, at an estimated value of $5 million.
Ian Stewart, Crime Stoppers Australia chair, said the campaign, launched at Westfield Parramatta, encourages the community to share information that can be relayed to police to help prevent, solve and respond to crime.
“Shopping centres are part of the heartbeat of our communities – and everyone who walks through their doors has the power to help keep them safe,” he said.
He also said that fostering CSA’s presence in shopping centres will allow Australians to easily speak up, even anonymously, about suspicious criminal behaviour in these environments.
“Our industry works very closely and collaboratively with law enforcement and government agencies and are supportive of initiatives to increase community safety in shopping centres,” said Angus Nardi, executive director of SCCA.
Running during the shopping centres’ peak seasons, including the spring school holidays in September and the back-to-school period in January next year, the campaign also features social media promotion and campaign support from CSA jurisdictions across the country.
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