Kiwis are being hit in the pocket by an increase in supermarket shoplifting, which is estimated to be costing households hundreds of dollars.
As a result, the Security Association is calling for additional powers so they can arrest shoplifters.
One video captured two women trying to steal a trolley full of groceries, with Countdown workers trying to wrestle the trolley off them.
"You can't touch us - you can't touch us," said one thief.
And then they fled, leaving staff on edge.
"Rattled, shaken, upset, angry," said witness Carlene Mataria.
And it's not the first time Mataria's witnessed shoplifting at Countdown.
"I saw it a week-and-a-half prior," Mataria told Newshub.
Retail NZ said it sees brazen retail thefts, like one woman filmed walking out with food stuffed under her top, at least once a week.
"There just seems to be a lot of criminal activity going on where people feel they can load their shopping trolleys up and walk out of stores with impunity," said Retail NZ chief executive Greg Harford.
Impunity for the perpetrators, but costly for Kiwis, because it's built into the prices we end up paying.
"Ultimately it's costing households hundreds of dollars because we're all subsidising this kind of behaviour," Harford told AM.
Countdown wasn't available for an interview but said in a statement it's actively working with police and other retailers on solutions to combat the rise in retail crime and customer aggression. Behaviour that security guards have seen a spike in since November.
"It puts them in a dangerous situation on occasion because they are having to approach people. That has increased the level of threats as well," said New Zealand Security Association chief executive Gary Morrison.
Security guards are now calling for changes so they can arrest thieves.
"It should only be where security staff have appropriate training," Morrison said.
Training that will hopefully deter shoplifters.
Ministry of Justice responds:
"This is not an issue that has been raised with the Private Security Personnel Licensing Authority (PSPLA)," a spokesperson said.
"There is currently no review planned of the Private Security Personnel and Private Investigators Act 2010."
