Canberra shops targeted by interstate gangs

Outside gangs are targeting Canberra shops and then leaving the territory with stolen high end goods, the police said as they ramped up efforts against rising crime and anti-social behaviour in shops.

"Since this time last year, shoplifting incidents in the ACT have increased by 38 per cent, and each one of these incidents drives up the cost of goods for our community members," Detective Acting Superintendent Anthony Brown said.

"While some thefts are opportunistic, we are seeing increasing activity from organized groups and networks targeting our shopping centers inside the ACT. They may come into Canberra from interstate, hit a certain shopping center or group of shops, and take those stolen goods outside of the ACT."

To counter the rise, ACT Policing has started Operation Retail whic