NBCC launches national month of action to tackle retail crime

The targeted week of action at the tail end of last year, which saw police and partners across the country joining together to tackle business crime in their communities, resulted in over 300 arrests and thousands of positive interactions with local retailers and businesses about the issues they’re facing.

The Safer Business Action Day month in March will see police work with retailers and private security in a defined area for a day of targeted activity, which will include joint high visibility patrols, proactive activity against known offenders and crime prevention campaigns.

Paul Betts, the National Police Chiefs Council’s (NPCC( business crime lead and Assistant Commissioner at the City of London Police) and the NPCC’s retail crime lead Chief Superintendent Alex Goss of the North Wales Police have personally written to all Chief Constables asking for their support.

Crime prevention

Each police force is being asked to hold a Safer Business Action Day in March, working in tandem with their local Business Crime Reduction Partnerships and Business Improvement Districts and highlighting the important role they play in towns and cities when it comes to preventing crime.

Several forces have already conducted Safer Business Action Days, which have proven to be an effective and popular activity for engaging with retailers in order to tackle offenders, protect businesses and their members of staff and increase business confidence.

The initiative is also recognised as Best Practice by the College of Policing and is included in its Practice Bank.

Momentum of collaboration

NBCC lead Superintendent Patrick Holdaway said: “We have been contacted by police and retailers who are keen to keep up the momentum of collaboration in the face of increasing levels of retail crime and violence against shop workers. Traditionally, we start to see a rise in retail crime in the Spring. That’s why we have proposed a targeted month of action in March. It allows forces to better plan resources, affords retailers and private security opportunities to support in multiple locations and also disrupts and deters prolific offenders.”

Holdaway added: “We already have over 20 police forces confirmed as taking part and we’re confident that, with retail crime being such a significant problem for local communities, all forces will support the Safer Business Action Day month and plan some proactive operations.”

*The NBCC is now in the process of updating the Safer Business Action Day branding to share with forces. The current guidance and branding can be accessed via the website at https://nbcc.police.uk/business-support/saba-days