UPDATED 6.10pm A company that works closely with police and retailers says a rise in violent crimes in the retail industry is taking its toll on staff and the public.

LISTEN ABOVE: Greg Harford from Retail NZ spoke to Jack Tame on Larry Williams Drive

Retailers have called for the setting up of a Police Retail Crime Taskforce to tackle crime in the industry, that's costing around a billion dollars a year.

CEO of Auror Phil Thomson said the data they have coming through the industry shows shoplifting, theft and fraud are crimes happening every day.

"Nearly 10 percent of those incidents involve some sort of aggressive behaviour or violence.

"It is intimidating to the businesses and the staff and it's having not just financial effect but also endangers the safety of people in the community."

Mr Thomson said there's definitely a rise in ram raids and violent crime in the retail industry.

"The sharing of information has highlighted it's often the same people, using the same vehicles, working in groups going across cities quite quickly.

"It's that organised nature which is quite alarming," Mr Thomson said.

The Retailers Association also wants stiffer penalties for those stealing for a criminal gang or syndicate.

Spokesman Greg Harford said they're seeing organised criminals planning what they're going to steal, then selling them, often through social media 

Mr Harford said retail crime is on the rise and it's becoming more menacing and violent.

He said it includes petty shoplifting, online fraud, assaults and ram raids.

Mark Carter, whose Christchurch sports shop was ram raided, says when they do catch shoplifters it's hard to get a quick response from police, which is why they want a dedicated task force.

He said they want police to catch shoplifters with the items they've stolen, rather than two or three days later when the gear's probably gone.