Business crime partnerships need a national association to better tackle retail crime, it is claimed.
At a retail crime partnership conference sponsored by Reliance Security in Birmingham, Bill Moyes called for a new body to build on good work at local level. Business crime cost the retail sector more than œ2.4 billion in 2001. Retail Crime Reduction Partnerships have scored successes in tackling not just retail but urban crime, Mr Moyes said: “Retail crime does not stop at the shop door and it is essential for everyone ? not just businesses – that it is effectively tackled. The areas of criminal activity that concern retailers most are the problems that effect everyone – youth crime, the problems of drug related crime, and the disturbing increases in violence and robbery. Creating a unified, national association of business crime partnerships would mean that the success local schemes are having in tackling this blight on businesses and communities could be more effectively taken forward at a national level. It would also send out a message that crime reduction partnerships are not only a vital, but also a permanent element in successful business crime prevention.? Some 230 UK retail crime partnerships in town and city centres have retailers working with police, local authorities, community safety managers and other agencies. Partners share information and photographs of known and suspected criminals through radio links and CCTV, and carry out exclusion notices which ban known thieves from entering partnership members? premises. Visit www.brc.org.uk
What they say
Geoff Shewry, Managing Director of Reliance Security Services said: “Close working partnerships with our retail customers and an in depth understanding of the issues facing the industry are central to the development of effective crime prevention solutions and the reduction of retail crime.?
