Police have swarmed Burnside Village in Adelaide's east, exercising expanded search powers. It's part of the government's plans to stamp out knife crime, however, the operation left some shoppers alarmed and confused.
00:00This is how customers were greeted at Burnside Village as police make use of new powers to stop and search at eight retail precincts across Adelaide.
00:12I've noticed that there's been police staffed at almost every entrance and exit and quite a few of them as well.
00:20It's weird to be asked for a sharp object when you come to have just breakfast.
00:25Me and this young dude ahead of me, we both got searched but the couple behind me who were a little bit older didn't.
00:32So I was like, it's a little bit odd but why don't they just do everyone?
00:36New knife laws give SA police power to use metal detector wands to search at random in declared precincts and order people they deem suspicious to leave for 24 hours.
00:48These eight major retail centres across metropolitan Adelaide have all become declared shopping precincts.
00:55At Arndale, shop owners hopeful police presence will help stamp out theft and violent behaviour.
01:01Police around, we feel safe.
01:04Do you know what I mean?
01:05I'm thinking about our customer, other people will be thin, you know.
01:09Most they've got, you know, they secure us.
01:12If someone has got a concealed weapon, either it would find it or it'd be a deterrent which is, both are good.
01:19So yeah, I think the shopping precinct decision is a good one.
01:23At Burnside Village, a retailer worker labelled the police presence overkill.
01:27It can be intimidating for shoppers in the village just because we've never really had this kind of experience before.
01:32Others say they could put up with the inconvenience if needed.
01:36If it's necessary, it's necessary, you know, I'll go through the precautions and everything.
01:40Legal experts have raised concerns minority groups could be unfairly targeted.
01:45Today we spoke to teenagers who said they were shocked to be asked to empty their pockets.
01:49They said they were searched several times.
01:52We've seen concerning activities here and interstate and we as a government have moved with that
01:58in conjunction with SA Police to introduce these new laws to keep us safe.
02:03And I think that we will reach that balance.
02:05The government says these powers will be expanded to places of worship, transport hubs and public events.
02:12But also have those concerns.
02:13We've seen that we willĺ…†
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