Issues for retailers in the fight against crime haven’t changed, but the ways criminals are behaving have.
So say the organisers of the British Retail Consortium (BRC) annual retail crime conference, in London SW1 on October 11. Violence against staff, internal fraud, card not present fraud – these are all issues that remain for the retail industry, yet the BRC reports an increase in aggressive behaviour; customers and dishonest staff are becoming more sophisticated against retailers’ improved crime prevention systems and in turn organised crime is becoming a greater threat for the retailer with the increase in money laundering and circulation of counterfeit goods. In response, the BRC has brought together a number of retailers and stakeholders to talk about how they are dealing with these issues and point other retailers in the direction of help and support as well as new ideas and strategies.
There’s an update from the Home Office on their priorities for business crime and what they will be doing to work with the BRC and its members to help prevent crime. An invited speaker is Vernon Coaker MP, the new Home Office Under-Secretary of State for policing, security and community safety. Also planned for the day is the presentation of the BRC annual retail crime survey results. In light of those figures, the BRC Director General Dr Kevin Hawkins will set the trade association’s campaigning priorities.
Invited speakers include Steve Frame, Director of Profit Protection, Marks and Spencer; Tim Edwards, Director of Security, The John David Group; Richard Davies, National Investigations Manager, B&Q; Stuart Green, Regional Loss Detection Manager, Boots; Graham Pollock, Security Manager, Sainsbury’s; and Gary Reeves, Chief Executive, New West End Company
Topics for discussion groups include: securing the supply chain; tackling internal fraud; e-crime and card not present (CNP) fraud; manned guarding; violence against staff (the session taken by Doug Russell, Health and Safety Officer at shop worker union USDAW; and asset recovery – how best to recover your financial losses, and the impact of fixed penalty notices. Delegates will receive a copy of the BRC’s crime survey at the conference.
To book for the event at the Victoria Park Plaza, sponsored by ADT, contact Louise Alford on 020 7854 8971 or email: [email protected]
