Business Crime
Business Crime – Practical Advice Toolkit
Business and retail crime can be taken to include ‘all crime and
disorder committed by or against businesses.’ The definition is
extremely broad, covering internal crimes (e.g. employee theft,
fraud and false accounting); external crime (e.g. burglary,
customer theft and vandalism) and contraventions of legislation,
for example on trading standards or health and safety.
Purpose of toolkit
The purpose of this toolkit is to explain the partnership
approach to addressing business crime and the current initiatives
being taken forward by the Safer Neath Port Talbot Partnership.
Background
- The Home Office estimate of crimes against commercial and
public sector organisations is almost twice the estimated number of
crimes against individuals and households.
- The British retail consortium suggests that retail crime costs
every household in the UK and extra £90 each year on their shopping
bills
- 75% of retailers and 50% of manufacturers experienced at least
one crime in the previous year, according to the Commercial
Victimisation Survey (2002).
- Overall, the risk of crime to retailers and manufacturers was
lower comparing the results of the 2002 survey with those of the
previous survey in 1994.
- 75% were seriously worried about crime and the effect on their
businesses
a survey by the British Chambers of Commerce estimated that crime
costs businesses £19 billion annually.
Current Good Practice
Safer Business Awards
Both Neath and Port Talbot town centres have recently
achieved the Safer Business Awards. This is a prestigious award
granted by Action Against Business Crime which is a Home Office
supported organisation. The Awards recognise the amount of work and
commitment by the Partnership in the fight against retail and
business crime.
Business Crime Seminar
In October 2005 the Safer Neath Port Talbot Partnership and
Crime Concern invited representatives from partner organisations
and local businesses to a one-day seminar on business crime
reduction.
Workshops and presentations gave delegates the opportunity to:
- Gain knowledge of business crime initiatives
- Identify ‘gaps and barriers’ in tackling business crime
- Identify ‘problems to be targeted’ in different setting
- Suggest how Safer Neath Port Talbot can engage with businesses
to reduce business crime.
As a result of the Seminar an action plan has been drawn up to
progress Safer Neath Port Talbot’s work in tackling business crime
over 2005 – 2008. A follow up ‘business breakfast’ has been planned
for January 2006 in order to maintain links between the business
sector and the partnership and develop the action plan.
Safer Neath Port Talbot Business Crime Reduction
Partnership
The Safer Neath Port Talbot Business Crime Reduction
Partnership was launched in October 2005. At present there are two
schemes, one in Neath town centre and one in Port Talbot town
centre. Both schemes are now firmly established boasting over 50
members between them from the retail and the business sector in
Neath Port Talbot. More recently in Port Talbot eight members of
Pub Watch have joined the scheme.
Meetings are held every month to discuss:
- Problems and concerns
- Update the members on progress
- To decide on the length of the exclusion that recent offenders
in the town centres are going to receive.
Since the first meeting in November 2005 twenty offenders have
been excluded from the two town centres, exclusions issued lasting
between 2 and 24 months.
Exclusion Orders
Photographs of known local offenders are distributed to the
inclusion panel made up of members of the scheme and officers from
the partnerships to decide on the length and terms of each
individual exclusion.
Exclusion Zones
All the members of the Safer Neath Port Talbot Business Crime
Reduction Partnersgip display Exclusion Zone stickers so that
offenders that have been excluded by the members clearly know where
they can and can not go.
Store net
The Safer Neath Port Talbot Partnership is working in
conjunction with M-R-S Communications Ltd and members of Store Net
to reduce criminal activity for retailers by using the Store Net
communication network.
Store Net is a two-way radio system that links all participating
retailers in Neath and Port Talbot to each other, Police, and CCTV
Control unit.
The radios enable the rapid dissemination of information on
criminal activity throughout the area, so that the security staff
is fully aware of their movements, descriptions and direction.
Other radio users are alerted, and the system will allow staff to
pursue criminals in the area and still remain in contact with other
security staff who could provide assistance if required.
In the event of a member of staff or security officer being
attacked, the system has a built in panic button which, when
activated, sends the identity of the security officer/ staff member
in difficulty to all other radios on the system. The microphone is
automatically activated for 30 seconds, thus enabling the user to
have a ‘hands free’ facility.
The main aim of Store Net is to reduce crime, the fear of crime
and ultimately improve profitability for the member through a
decrease in theft and damage.
Night Net
This is a similar scheme to Store Net but Night Net is for
members of the nighttime economy.
Pub watch
Pub watch is successfully operating in Pontardawe, Neath and
Port Talbot.
The basic working principle underpinning a Pub Watch scheme is that
the licensees of the premises involved agree on a number of
policies to counter individuals that threaten damage, disorder and
violence or use or deal in drugs on their premises. Normally action
consists of refusing to serve that cause, or are known to have
caused, these sorts of problems. Refusal of admission and service
to those that cause trouble has proved to be effective in reducing
anti-social behaviour.
Business Breakfast
In January 2006 the Partnership hosted a Business Breakfast in
the Castle Hotel in Neath. Representatives from the business sector
met with members of the Partnership to strengthen links, identify
issues of concern for businesses in the borough and further develop
the action plan.
Secured by Design
Secured-by-Design is a police initiative to encourage the
building industry and designers to adopt crime prevention measures
in the design of buildings to reduce the opportunity for crime and
the fear of crime, creating a safer and more secure
environment.
In April 2005 the Neath Civic Centre achieved Secured by Design
status. The new Neath Civic Centre offices were designed by the
council's in-house architectural team, who have worked in close
liaison with the South Wales Police Force architectural liaison
officer, to achieve this very high standard of security, both
within the building and the open public spaces surrounding the
civic centre.
Force Architectural Liaison Officer Julie Odgers
Port Talbot Police Station
Station Road
Port Talbot
SA13 1JB
Tel: 01656 306042
Solutions – Crime Prevention Advice
A partnership approach is essential to address business
crime.
For further advice and information on how to keep crime out of
your business contact the team:
Community Safety Partnership
2nd Floor Port Talbot Police Station
Station Road
Port Talbot
SA13 1JB
Telephone: 01639 889163
Fax: 01639 889174
E-mail: community.safety@npt.gov.uk
Crime Prevention Officer
PC Mike Harvey
Port Talbot Police Station
Station Road
Port Talbot
SA13 1JB
Telephone: 01639 889 178
Downloads
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