Met Welcome Flying Squad Project

Shopkeepers across London are to receive expert advice on how to avoid becoming a target for criminals as part of a crime reduction project by the Metropolitan Police Service's Flying Squad.

In the run up to Christmas, Flying Squad officers, working together with Safer Neighbourhoods teams, will visit shops across the capital to offer specialist guidance on how to reduce the risk of attacks by robbers.

Officers will talk to business owners about security measures and will hand out advice leaflets setting out a number of simple steps they can take to improve security and deter criminals.

They will also direct people to their online crime prevention pages where more in-depth crime prevention advice and information is available.

The visits will be supplemented by a number of free training seminars for all business owners, to be held at venues in Southwark, Lambeth, Haringey and Newham.

The move is part of the Flying Squad's annual Christmas crime reduction initiative. In the run up to December, as the days shorten, there has historically been a small increase in robberies targeting retailers and other commercial premises. This financial year offences rose 7% during the winter months Nov-Jan compared with the summer months Aug-Oct. Officers hope this programme of activity will combat this rise.

Detective Chief Inspector Ian Corner from the MPS' Flying Squad, said: "We are committed to supporting all lawful businesses no matter how large or small. We want to educate them on how to best protect themselves and would encourage them to attend a seminar."

The seasonal trend contrasts to a steady fall in attacks on traditional targets such as cash-in-transit vans, banks, building societies, betting shops and post offices. This financial year to date (Apr-Nov) there have been 244 less commercial robbery offences than the same period the previous year. Detectives believe this decrease can be attributed to a greater awareness amongst these industries of the risks they face and a concerted and coordinated effort to put protective measures in place to deter criminals.

Police now hope to persuade smaller business owners that introducing a few common-sense measures could protect them from becoming victims.

These include:

• Removing advertising posters from windows so staff can see any potential threat and take action;
• Not holding large amounts of cash in tills;
• Not to count cash in public view;
• Always use two people for opening and closing;
• Officers to give advice on what to do in the event of and in the wake of a robbery.

The initiative will run for the coming months during which time officers hope to make contact with thousands of shopkeepers and small business owners.

(BMcN)