Brakes put on theft of shopping trolleys

A Dunedin supermarket has spent tens of thousands of dollars to combat the continuing problem of trolley thefts.

Centre City New World general manager Craig Nieper said yesterday that the store spent about $30,000 installing an anti-theft system which makes trolley wheels lock up when they are taken outside the immediate supermarket area.

While that might seem a high price to pay, Mr Nieper said trolleys cost $300 to $500 each and he expected the investment would be repaid pretty quickly.

"We lose up to 120 trolleys a year and, by the time you replace the missing trolleys and collect those that were taken away and repair the damaged ones, it costs upward of $50,000 a year," Mr Nieper said. "And the problems seem to be getting worse every year, too."

Trolleys were used to carry customers' shopping home, and they ended up being left outside, dumped or burned.

The anti-theft system fitted to the trolleys locked their wheels if they were taken beyond the mall entrance, the carpark exits, or past the taxi stand and bus stop outside the supermarket.

Staff members were able to unlock the wheels with an electronic key.

Mr Nieper said signs had been posted on trolleys and around the store, but he expected "99 per cent of customers would never see it activated".

The system was installed on Friday morning, and there had been little negative comment from customers.

He said this was the first time the system had been used in a full-size supermarket in New Zealand.

- OTAGO DAILY TIMES