Retail crime is on the rise once more — with latest Police data showing it's up 17 percent in the first five months of this year.

In central Palmerston North, five people have been arrested for stealing thousands of goods from Farmers and Rebel Sport on Friday afternoon.

And in Christchurch's New Brighton, a community pantry and Countdown supermarket were targeted on Saturday.

Sunny Kaushal — the chair of the Government's newly established Crime Advisory Group — told Mike Hosking he hopes to start work on addressing the issue before the end of the month.

“But I promise the day we start working, within two weeks time, I will have the first proposal on table.”

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