The Government has pledged additional funding for the Fog Cannon Subsidy Scheme to help tackle retail crime.
Police and Small Business Minister, Ginny Andersen said the Government was committed to improving retailers’ safety.
“I’ve seen first-hand the difference fog cannons are making. Not only do they help prevent crime, but they also give retailers peace of mind,” she said.
With 582 installations completed, and 1664 applications approved, the scheme has proved to be incredibly popular, the Minister said.
“I’m pleased to be able to expand the scheme with an extra $11 million to continue to give eligible retailers across New Zealand certainty that they can get a fog cannon if they need one.”
“We need to tackle the problem at both ends and ensure we are stopping retail crime in the first place. We’ve expanded a circuit breaker programme targeting recidivist child offenders into Hamilton, Christchurch and Auckland City and are making excellent progress on our goal to achieve 1800 more police officers on the front line.”
The Minister said fog cannons can help deter ram raids and burglary and reduce the risk of people being harmed. The dense cloud of fog is highly disorienting and prevents attackers from targeting cash, stock, or workers.
“Small retailers have told me the scheme is working well. For many small retailers, the upfront cost of a fog cannon is beyond their budget.”
In February, the Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment opened applications for the $4,000 subsidy.
“Demand has been strong, with the number of daily applications being received by MBIE significantly increasing since April, and I’m pleased the Government is continuing to back retailers to keep them safe,” Ms Andersen said.
As part of the increase in funding for the Fog Cannon Subsidy Scheme, further consideration will be given to ensuring there’s better integration with the safety measures provided through Police’s Retail Crime Prevention Programme.
