Police have walked back a national directive imposing thresholds on what retail crimes will be investigated, and local police say they take the issue seriously.

Recently, Radio New Zealand revealed a directive detailing that the police File Management Centre would be applying nationally standardised value thresholds when assessing theft and fraud files.

The thresholds were general theft $200, petrol drive-off $150, shoplifting $500, fraud (payWave, online, scam etc) $1000, and all other fraud $500 regardless of any lines of enquiry.

The situation is now under review, including any cases that may have been impacted by the thresholds since the directive was sent in late March.

Whakatāne police officer in charge of prevention Senior Sergeant Cam MacKinnon said retail crime was a continual and growing issue in the Eastern Bay, with it happening daily across all manner of stores.

He said Eastern Bay police would continue to investigate all reports of crime and harm that happen in the community.

“What we term as ‘retail crime’ will be no different. Police will continue to investigate all incidents on a case-by-case basis, looking to hold to account those in our community who think they can steal and get away with it.

“It’s a timely reminder that they cannot.

“Police will continue to work as hard as possible to identify, locate and prosecute those who steal.

“We look to work with local retailers on any initiatives to improve security measures and deter thieves.”

He said some investigations came to a stop relatively quickly due to there being no avenues of inquiry or an inability to identify the person responsible.

“But where we can, we will always endeavour to hold offenders to account, locate and apprehend and where required we will prosecute them.”

Police Commissioner Richard Chambers has described the original memo as confusing and unhelpful.

He said the wrong message had been sent to the retail community and the public about the police approach.

“I have made retail crime one of the priorities for the Police executive and that means increasing the focus on it.

“The memo has been confusing and unhelpful and does not meet my expectations on retail crime or the expectations of the retail community.”

Mr Chambers issued a reminder to district commanders that they should continue to catch offenders wherever possible, regardless of the memo’s thresholds.

“It is my expectation police continue to work hard to catch offenders wherever possible.

“Our role is to enforce the law. If we were to take our focus off that, we are giving license to offenders to commit crime.

“That will not happen.”

He said retail crime was increasing nationally, and police were working closely with the retail community to address it.