Liverpool Chamber’s business crime prevention team have helped a small city business to continue trading after a traumatic robbery.
In November 2009, Stephanie Agugua, was robbed at knife point at her business Le Stye hairdressers on Wavertree Road.
Stephanie was working on a customer when two men wearing hoods entered the shop, Stephanie was threatened by a man brandishing a knife and a diary containing a large amount of banknotes was snatched from behind the counter.
Stephanie was very traumatised by the incident and had to close down for a time. She also lost a number of customers due to their fears over safety. She felt that she could only recommence business if she kept the front door to the business locked at all times. She also has a heart condition made worse by this experience.
The crime reduction division of the Liverpool Chamber of Commerce, ‘Liverpool Crime Alert’ stepped in to help. Tony Jopson, the Chamber’s Business Crime Reduction Manger, said: “Small and micro businesses are the life blood of any area, in particular areas like Wavertree. Here was a viable business keeping together a family with young children and valuable to the Wavertree area that was in danger of collapse due entirely to a terrifying criminal act.”
Tony gave Stephanie crime prevention advice and when she could not raise the finance for security improvements, Liverpool Crime Alert stepped in.
Liverpool Chamber of Commerce are working with Action Against Business Crime, a non profit organisation, with the major insurance companies, sponsoring a lone worker support system.
Tony continued: “We arranged for the system to be installed at Le Stye. It now enables Stephanie, at the touch of a button, to be in direct communication with her own security company. If anyone now enters her shop who she feels the slightest bit apprehensive about she can press a button on her pendant or her bracelet that will cause the monitoring security operative to speak directly to her and everyone in the premises. She can now instantly receive support be it reassurance, advice or immediate assistance.”
Stephanie is now back working at her shop. She said: “I am so happy with this new security system, my customers are returning and we have all found a renewed confidence in the business.”
