NBCC launches week-long campaign to target retail crime

The National Business Crime Centre’s week-long campaign, aimed to protect businesses from crime, increase awareness of crime prevention measures and tackle criminals who target retailers, began today (16).

The Safer Business Action Week involves Business Reductions Partnerships (BCRPs) , Business Improvement Districts (BIDs) and the the private security industry working with local police forces to deliver a focused operation with joint patrols, the targeted intervention of offenders and a range of crime prevention activity including raising awareness of the local issues with the general public.

The weeklong initiative is organised by the NBCC, which represents UK police forces, to work in partnership with the business community to tackle crimes against businesses. At the heart of the action week is the #ShopKind campaign, which urges the public to be mindful of shopworkers’ essential role serving the public and emphasises that workers should be treated with respect, kindness and gratitude.

Supt Patrick Holdaway, lead for the NBCC said, “The week of action is coordinated nationally but it very much focussed on local crime and ASB issues impacting retail and other businesses in the community. It is as much about engaging with businesses and the public as it is about identifying and catching prolific offenders. Last year’s week of action saw some fantastic results in targeting those who cause the most harm to businesses and also in building ongoing relationships between business, partners and the police.”

Retail union Usdaw will be launching their annual Respect for Shopworkers Week on Nov 13, when the union releases interim statistics from their annual survey of violence, threats and abuse against shopworkers. Usdaw’s campaign week is part of the union’s year round Freedom from Fear campaign and will see thousands of activists running respect events in their workplaces and communities.

Paddy Lillis, Usdaw General Secretary says,“We very much welcome the work of the National Business Crime Centre and the co-ordination they do to bring police forces, retailers, shopworkers and communities together to promote the ‘#ShopKind’ message. There is no doubt that crimes against businesses are a main trigger for violence, threats and abuse against shopworkers.

“Usdaw is clear that attacks on retail workers ruin lives. Just the other week, we were informed of one of our members being stabbed in the eye with a screwdriver, simply as a result of protecting one of their colleagues from being abused by a customer.

“Violence and abuse are not an acceptable part of the job and too many shopworkers suffer all too often. We need better co-ordination to ensure that retail employers, police and the courts work together to make stores safer and give staff the support and confidence they need. This week of action is a great step towards that aim.”