Strong local partnerships key to tackling business and retail crime
Today (10 November) marks the start of Safer Business Action Week. The national event puts business crime into the spotlight, raising awareness of the harmful impact that crime and anti-social behaviour have on retailers and the wider community.
The week also focuses on local collaboration between the police, business improvement districts (BIDs), business crime reduction partnerships (BCRPs), councils and the private security industry and how joined-up working between agencies is key to tackling offending.
Avon and Somerset neighbourhood policing teams will be:
- Carrying out visible patrols in high streets, retail parks and shopping centres
- Delivering training to security staff
- Arranging walk & talks with BID members, security teams and town centre street marshals to understand and address the main issues they are facing
- Engaging with local businesses about the importance of reporting and providing high-quality CCTV, while offering crime prevention and security advice to those that have experienced high volumes of theft and/or theft of high-value items
- Speaking to local people about crime prevention and reporting at community pop-ups
- Disrupting offending in local operations.
While the awareness week is an opportunity to show the public how the police and partners are working to protect retailers, addressing shop theft is a high priority for neighbourhood policing all year round. The recent uplift of additional experienced officers to neighbourhood teams has increased police visibility in shopping districts and high streets, so officers can respond faster to crimes as they happen and deter opportunist thieves. In addition, proactive patrols targeting violence and anti-social behaviour have resulted in 100 arrests in key locations between May and October.
Chief Inspector Will Barlow, Business Crime Lead, said: “Business crime, such as shoplifting and anti-social behaviour (ASB), has a harmful and long-lasting impact on our communities. For smaller, independent shops, the impact can be devastating – not only affecting the livelihoods of store owners and staff but also their health, wellbeing and personal safety.
“Tackling these offences remains a police priority and we continue to work closely with business-led partnerships and councils to make our cities and towns safer environments for local businesses to thrive.
“Alongside high-visibility patrols and enforcement, our neighbourhood officers, desk investigators and ASB teams are working tirelessly to gather the evidence needed to arrest prolific offenders and bring them before the courts.
“Please report incidents as soon as possible via 101 or our online form so we can target police patrols, monitor offending patterns and take appropriate action. Violent cases will always be prioritised.”
Improving reporting processes
Shoplifting remains an under-reported offence, yet businesses are strongly encouraged to report all instances of theft and anti-social behaviour that occur on their premises. Avon and Somerset Police has improved its reporting systems to make it easier to report crimes online, with QR codes providing quick access to reporting tools. A tutorial video for reporting shop theft is also in development, which takes users through each online reporting step and highlights best practice to increase the likelihood of a prosecution.
For repeat and prolific offenders, a dedicated police investigation team works closely with neighbourhood officers to identify offences, connect multiple crimes and prepare arrest packages. Businesses can also issue civil banning letters, which, if ignored, help provide evidence so that action can be taken under anti-social behaviour legislation. In cases where an offender is vulnerable, they are referred to support services or food banks.
The quickest and easiest way of reporting shoplifting is via Avon and Somerset Police’s online form: