Business Crime
Introduction
Businesses are at the heart of our local communities, employing close to three million staff across the country. Retail industry forms an important component of business and in 2006 the sector made around £255 billion of sales.
Retail Crime Action Plan 2009
The government is working in partnership with business to tackle crime and has recently published a new Retail Crime Action Plan jointly agreed with the National Retail Crime Steering Group.
The Retail Crime Action Plan sets out key areas of work agreed as priorities by the government, police and its business partners in the National Retail Crime Steering Group. Click here for more information on the action plan.
Small Retailers Capital Grants Fund
Home Office Minister Alan Campbell announced on 6 August a new £5m small retailers capital grants fund in 50 priority areas. he grant will be used for the purchase of equipment to help retailers in the target areas to reduce the risk of crime. Further information is available on the GrantsAdmin website. Note that this scheme is distinct from the Small Retailers in Deprived Areas scheme which operated between 2001 and 2004.
On-line security/ crime prevention tool
Alan Campbell also launched a new on-line questionnaire for businesses to assess their security and crime prevention measures. The tool will provide targeted information for you to improve your security and crime prevention measures.
To complete the questionnaire which will take about 15 minutes, click here.
Definition of Business Crime
Business crime can be taken to include ‘all crime and disorder committed by or against businesses.’ The definition recognises that business can be affected in many different ways and that crime can be targeted against a single person working in business, against a single business, or may be part of a wider pattern of crime which adversely impacts a number of businesses in the same sector or in the same geographical area.
Businesses can be affected by different types of crime including:
- Commercial robbery
- Fraud and Forgery
- Shop theft
- Theft by employees
- Theft of and from vehicles
- Theft of plant
- Making off without payment (for example from petrol forecourts)
Violent crimes can include:
- Assault
- Harassment
- Robbery
- Violence against shop workers
Anti-social behaviour includes:
- Criminal damage to commercial property
- Criminal or nuisance behaviour causing harassment, alarm or distress to staff or customers, including:
- Verbal abuse
- Low level harassment and intimidation, including racial intimidation
- Graffiti and vandalism
Last update: Wednesday, August 26, 2009