New agency to tackle crime against businesses

Thousands of businesses could be in line to benefit from the creation of a new national action group to tackle crime, the Home Office announced today.

The Action Against Business Crime Group is a joint venture between the Home Office and the British Retail Consortium designed to "boost the work of local business crime partnerships".

The partnerships bring retailers and businesses together with police and local authority representatives to exchange information about offenders, set-up radio links between stores and share crime prevention advice.

The new Action Group will build up local partnerships, encourage new ones, offer training and set up links between businesses, crime and disorder partnerships, drug action teams and youth offending agencies. The Home Office has granted £900,000 to fund the Action Group over the next two years.

Hazel Blears, Home Office Minister for crime reduction, said: "Crime against business is a very serious issue. Retailers are often the cornerstone of communities. When they are targeted by criminals and the owner's livelihood threatened, it can damage the prosperity of an entire neighbourhood.

He added: "But we know there is much more work to do and we cannot do it alone. Businesses must play a greater part in the fight against crime. They have a responsibility to help protect themselves by installing proper security measures and ensuring their stores are designed to hinder criminals. By working together in partnership we can ensure action on the ground makes a real difference to business owners."

Bill Moyes, director general of the British Retail Consortium, said that retail crime was a "serious problem that affects both shops and their customers".

"The retail crime partnerships are an effective method to reduce crime and ensure that our shopping precincts remain safe and pleasant places to live and work," he said.

(gmcg)