The Current Situation

Crime is a cause of concern for many businesses and although it is difficult to obtain a full picture of the extent to which crime affects business the 2001 British Chambers of Commerce survey estimated the cost of crime to business at £19bn per year, whilst the British Retail Consortium 2002 crime survey estimated the annual cost of retail crime at £2.2bn.

The Government is very concerned about business related crime and is now developing a strategy focusing on 6 key areas:-

• Obtaining regular and accurate information on the levels and types of business crime;
• Developing a central advice/support service for businesses;
• Improving links between business and existing partnerships;
• Implementing measures to reduce retail crime;
• Implementing measures to reduce fraud; and
• Raising business awareness of its capacity and responsibility to reduce crime.

What is being done to tackle Business Crime

The Home Office has announced the formation of a new national action group to tackle business related crime. The "Action Against Business Crime Group" is a joint venture between the Home Office and the British Retail Consortium to boost the work of local business crime partnerships. The Home Office has granted £900,000 to fund the action group over the next 2 years.

The £15million Small Retailers in Deprived Areas project will have helped 12,500 small businesses to improve their security by the end of March 2004.

Financial and retail sectors are being encouraged to work towards early implementation of more secure systems to combat fraud - including 'Chip and PIN', (the introduction of microchips into payment cards and the use of PIN codes in place of signatures).

A two year pilot of a unique police unit created by the Association for Payment Clearing Services (APACS) and the Home Office was launched on Monday 29 April 2002. The Dedicated Cheque and Plastic Crime Unit aims to fight the organised crime syndicates behind steep rises in UK plastic card fraud losses.

Work with major businesses such as ASDA, Argos, Woolworths, Dell and EMI in developing the Chipping of Goods initiative is also being carried out.

Reducing the risk of crime in business will help to ensure the safety of staff and customers and to protect profits. Research has shown that businesses are more at risk of crime than private households.

For further details on Business Crime including contact details visit the Tendring Crime and Disorder Reduction web site or e-mail regeneration.services@tendringdc.gov.uk.

The Essex Police Crime Prevention Officer at Clacton Police Station will also be able to answer your queries including details on business security grants on telephone 01255 221312.