Plea for police support as small businesses under siege from violent thieves

Small businesses in Melbourne's suburbs say they're under siege by violent thieves, and are being left to fight on their own.

Recent data shows almost one in every 10 retail crimes in Australia is violent, but the most serious incidents are happening in Victoria.

Australian Association of Convenience Stores chief executive Theo Foukkare said the level of aggravated assaults in Victoria in comparison to other states could be up to six times worse.

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"We're seeing all sorts of weapons being used but it ranges from small kitchen knives to machetes to replica guns to real guns. We've had instances where people are using syringes," Foukkare said.

"Convenience store staff over the last 18 months, have reported being spat at, being beaten, being hit with objects, being verbally abused, and they're just really fearful."

In Melbourne, a team of just five police officers have made a huge dent in the city's growing underbelly, as part of Operation Stand.

Since July, police have arrested 57 of the city's most prolific retail thieves - and almost 70 per cent of them have stopped offending in that area.

Currently, they're working with 30 different retailers and 70 stores in Melbourne's inner city.

All up 637 charges have been laid and more than $250,000 worth of stolen goods have been seized.

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But shop owners in the suburbs are pleading for help, too.

Kylie Weir owns a gift shop in Melbourne's north.

She says she was held up by thieves within the first six weeks of opening.

Since then, she's installed cameras and mirrors. 

"You'd like to think it's a deterrent, but people are still stealing, and even with the footage, it's not as though I can plaster people's faces on the front of the shop," she said.

"If someone's taking $1200 worth of stock, that's a $1200 invoice I can't pay for a supplier that week," Weir said.

"Small businesses are hurting already. We're not making money. We're just surviving. So someone taking stock like that, it really hurts."

Victoria remains the only state in the country yet to implement tougher punishments for assaulting a retail worker.

It's hoped that might change by the end of next year.