The Government is continuing to support retailers with additional funding for the highly popular Fog Cannon Subsidy Scheme, Police and Small Business Minister Ginny Andersen announced today.

"The Government is committed to improving retailers' safety," Ginny Andersen said.

"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.

"With 582 installations completed, and 1664 applications approved, the scheme has proved to be incredibly popular. 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.

"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 $4000 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," Ginny 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.

Source: Beehive