Business Crime Advice

The effects of crime can be devastating, so it makes good business sense to protect your profits, customers, premises and staff from the effects of crime.

DO I NEED TO BE CONCERNED?

• Crime against business is on the increase nationally
• Businesses are twice as likely to be a victim of crime as individuals
• The average annual cost of crime is £8,000 per business
• Small businesses account for 56% of UK employment and 52% of UK turnover
• 58% of small businesses suffered at least one crime in the year to February 2005
• The East Midlands is one of the four UK regions with the highest business crime rate nationally
• Business related crime in the East Midlands accounts for 25% of all recorded crime

As a first step in being prepared, ask yourself about the physical environment of your business:

• Has there been crime in the vicinity of your business recently
• Are there any prevailing crime trends in your area?
• Are there any paths, railway lines or other access routes, which could be used by criminals to gain access to your premises?
• Do you know who runs the local business crime partnership, shop watch, business watch scheme or similar in your area?

Then ask yourself about your business specifically:

• What could thieves target in my business - stock, petty cash, computers, equipment, and vehicles?
• How vulnerable are my business premises to crime?
• What would be the effect of a crime against my business?
• What crime prevention initiatives are available to me?

Securing your business against crime need not be an expensive and time consuming exercise. You can get advice and guidance from a number of sources. As a first step your local police Crime Reduction Officer can visit to advise you on how to make your systems and premises more secure. To contact them, simply call your local police station and ask for the Crime Reduction Officer for your area.

Useful websites, which give practical guidance on business crime prevention, are:

www.crimereduction.gov.uk
www.businesswatch.org
www.fsb.org.uk
www.saferderbyshire.gov.uk

Other sources of advice and guidance:

• Local business organisations such as the Federation of Small Businesses, your local Chamber of Commerce and the CBI may offer crime prevention advice to members.
• All local authorities have a Crime and Disorder Reduction Partnership and a Community Safety Officer who can offer advice and direct you to a source of help. To contact them, telephone your local Council offices.

If you are unfortunate enough to become a victim of business crime, please do report it to your local police. Business crime is not victimless. Services, employment, investment and the quality of life are all threatened by increased levels of crime. Crime figures are consistently under reported and this leads to the less effective deployment of police resources.

Take a look at the following check list:
Have you carried out a risk analysis for your business to identify any weaknesses?
If not you could:

• Download risk analysis form
• Contact your local Business Crime Advisor at the Chamber

Invest in Crime Prevention, seek advice from the police and your insurance company:

Whatever the field of business you are in, good housekeeping is the rule:

• Untidy property results in petty vandalism and can escalate into something serious
• Property marking acts as a deterrent and can help detection
• Can you benefit from the Smart water initiative?
• Access control is important if you are not open to the general public
• Train staff to challenge visitors and insist that staff and visitors wear identification
• Effective external lighting can deter criminals and is essential for other crime prevention measures to succeed.