The 0800 crime reporting line Crimestoppers reports renewal of a partnership with the Association of British Bookmakers (ABB), the UK trade association for off-course bookmakers.
The anonymous reporting line says that it’s received around 60 pieces of anonymous information regarding crimes against bookmakers this year, with almost half of them unsurprisingly related to robberies, a significant proportion of which were armed. This information was provided on the subject of offences concerning bookmaking and gathered from January to June 2015. Drug related crimes made up a third of the total, while information concerning money laundering, immigration, assault and fraud were also reported.
Crimestoppers says that it and the ABB have worked together since 2004, creating and sustaining a safe environment for the association’s members, their 40,000 employees and eight million customers.
Rodger Holden, Director of Business Development for Crimestoppers, said: “The Association of British Bookmakers is a valued partner and we are glad to continue working with them to reduce crime across the many communities their members serve. Together we can continue to work towards building safer communities by raising awareness of and tackling crimes that affect the industry.”
Peter Craske, PR Manager for the Association of British Bookmakers, said: “The ABB is pleased to continue our work with Crimestoppers, and build on our achievements so far. The safety of betting shop staff and customers is our top priority and working with a trusted organisation like Crimestoppers helps make that a reality.”
If you have any information on a crime against the betting industry, you can contact Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111 or through the Anonymous Online Form at crimestoppers-uk.org.
