It's the one offence in Maitland that continues to climb, but also the crime you're most likely to get caught doing.
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It's shoplifting and the latest crime figures released on Monday show rates of it in Maitland have jumped more than 40 per cent in the two years to June 2019.
There were 527 retail theft offences recorded in the 12 months to June 2019 - up from 375 in the previous 12 months.
The increase saw Maitland jump from 17th to eighth in the state for the offence.
It comes as no surprise to Port Stephens Hunter crime manager Detective Inspector George Radmore after the expansion of Stockland Green Hills was complete in March 2018.
"There's more opportunity to engage in retail theft, so we certainly expect that results in an increase," Inspector Radmore said. "We're aware of it and have put measures in place."
Inspector Radmore said police ran anti-theft operations at the centre and were identifying repeat theft offenders.
Police are also deployed to the complex on a "user pays" basis during high-risk times.
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"We work with management and security on a very close basis," Inspector Radmore said.
Stockland Green Hills centre manager Angela Vogt said safety and security was their highest priority and the centre had a number of measures in place including 24-hour security services and an extensive CCTV system which is used to assist in police matters.
"They have extremely good CCTV, which provides us with a response to investigate," Inspector Radmore said. "We've got direct evidence, not just missing stock."
And that is converting into arrests. The legal action rate for retail theft across the police district in the last two months was 52.2 per cent - and it will likely increase as police continue to chase up leads from offences that occurred in July and August.
"It could rise to 60 or more percent," Inspector Radmore said. "So you're more likely to get caught than not get caught.
"The legal action rate for retail theft is way higher than any other property crime type."
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Retail theft was the only crime that increased significantly in the latest crime report.
Inspector Radmore said steal from motor vehicle and residential break and enter offences were the district's lowest on record since the current recording system was introduced in 2005/06.
While the police district only formed in January last year, the statistics are taken from where the current boundaries sit.
Inspector Radmore said police were using intelligence based policing to "target the right people" and respond effectively to car and home break-ins.
"It's a real recidivist crime," he said. "People generally keep doing it until they get caught.
"It's about targeting offenders and deterring them from committing crime."