Criminality at Shopping Malls: A South African Perspective

A sharp rise in crimes at shopping malls in KwaZulu-Natal and other provinces around the country has prompted shopping mall owners to keep shopping malls safe. Some of the crimes that shopping malls experience include armed robberies, common robberies, parking lot crimes (theft from motor vehicles), assaults, store holdups, shoplifting and property crimes. Shoppers and retailers at malls are concerned about their safety. Criminals commit crimes for numerous reasons, and the situations are always different. The purpose of this article was to assess the crime risks at these malls so that the malls can be made safe, secure and a pleasant environment for all. The Criminal Opportunity Theory served as the basis for this study. A qualitative case study design was used in this study. One-on-one interviews, observation and criminal case docket analysis were used to collect data. Nine shopping malls, 30 criminal case dockets and 30 participants were purposively sampled, based on specific criteria. The collected data were thematically analysed and interpreted. It was found that there was a great need for both violent and nonviolent crimes to be reduced at shopping malls. The study showed that security measures should be enhanced to deter potential criminals and mitigate the risk of criminal activities.