Shoplifters could be slapped with a ticket of up to $1000 on-the-spot under the government's latest crime crackdown.
Justice Minister Paul Goldsmith and Associate Justice Minister Nicole McKee announced the new infringement regime in Auckland on Tuesday, alongside tougher penalties for theft.
"It's not okay - it doesn't matter how tough things are - to go around, steal stuff, take it out of the store without paying for it, and expect all your fellow New Zealanders to pay for it," Goldsmith said.
Under the new scheme, those caught shoplifting lower-value goods could be stung up to $500. For goods worth more than that, the fee could climb as high as $1000.
The maximum punishment for theft would also be hiked to one year in prison for goods worth $2000 or less, or seven years for more serious cases.
As well, a new aggravating factor would be introduced for high-value theft carried out in an "offensive, threatening, insulting, or disorderly" manner.
The measures fall within the government's wider overhaul of the Crimes Act, with legislation expected to be introduced to Parliament this year.
They also fulfil a commitment in the National-New Zealand First coalition agreement to ensure "real consequences for lower-level crimes such as shoplifting".
Speaking to reporters, Goldsmith labelled shoplifting a "scourge in our community" which had often gone unpunished due to the administrative burden of going to court.
"Stealing is not okay," he said.
"I'm sorry, all New Zealanders are struggling with putting food on the table.
"We're on the side of people who follow the law, do the right thing... and the retailers who are trying to make a buck without having stuff stolen from them."
Goldsmith said the police could be called to a store to issue a ticket immediately, or they could issue it several days later if a shoplifter was identified on CCTV footage.
Police faced a backlash earlier this year after RNZ revealed an internal memo suggesting lower-level retail crime - like shoplifting - would not be investigated.
Police Commissioner Richard Chambers subsequently scrapped the directive, labelling it "confusing and unhelpful".
Goldsmith acknowledged that police had constrained resources but said the changes would give them another "simple tool" to fight back against retail crime.
"The police can't be on every corner at every moment, so we do the best we can with the resources we've got."
The measures were proposed by the government's Ministerial Advisory Group for victims of retail crime, chaired by business advocate Sunny Kaushal.
Speaking at the launch, Kaushal said the move would assist frustrated retailers and help put the "crime genie back in the bottle".
"[Shoplifting has] become a pandemic in New Zealand. Today, it's costing $1.4 billion [a year] to New Zealand," he said.
"The offenders were saying they were untouchable, but right now, we are creating the consequences, the accountability."
At the weekend, Goldsmith proposed the introduction of higher penalties for people who assault first responders.
And on Monday, the government said it would legislate to ensure coward punches were treated as a specific offence.
Coward punches, also known as king-hits, are when strikes are delivered to a victim's head or neck without warning, and when the victim is unable to defend themselves.
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