Hampshire Constabulary has made a very positive commitment by this week announcing the launch of their Business Crime Strategy.
The strategy has been prepared in recognition that crime against business has major implications, affecting business turnover and viability, and with serious knock-on effects to the local community and economy. Developed to address crimes against business across Hampshire and the Isle of Wight, the aim of strategy is to provide a higher understanding of the impact and extent of business crime, to increase the business community’s confidence in the police and to improve intelligence and crime prevention by increasing local interaction and engagement with businesses.
The intention is that Hampshire Constabulary and local businesses will become jointly accountable for the delivery of this strategy, and its success will be based upon reporting and community engagement.
In addition to local Police support, it is vital that businesses both adopt preventative measures and report ‘every crime, every time’. This will help the Police to ascertain the true extent of crimes against business, and to then prioritise accordingly. Accurate recording of business crime will enable accurate crime hot spotting and trends to help develop future crime prevention plans.
The strategy supported by Simon Hayes, Police and Crime Commissioner, will ultimately raise awareness of the detrimental effects of crime against business and improve engagement with local businesses. It has been developed with the Federation of Small Businesses (FSB) and other relevant local partners.
Simon Hayes, Hampshire and Isle of Wight Police and Crime Commissioner, said:
“Business crime is a real threat to the livelihood of businesses and can be devastating. It is vital that we look to tackle this type of crime. I am delighted that the vision for the strategy is to raise awareness of business crime and its effects, and to propose ways to reduce the problems, through practical measures and partnership working.”
David Springer, Hampshire FSB Business Crime spokesperson said:
“Crimes against business continues to have huge cost implications to businesses. It is clearly not a victimless crime. Results of recent FSB Research show small firms lose up to £800 million a year as they fall victim to fraud and online crime, and that a quarter of all crime is related to business crime. We are delighted to continue to work with the Hampshire Constabulary and PCC to raise awareness and to ensure that business crime is on the local Police agenda.”
Crimes against business can have a devastating impact on the individual, the business and also the local economy. It is vital that the Police and businesses work together to try to combat this increasing threat.
Photographed L-R:
Back Row:Chief Inspector Patrick Holdaway, Chris Caesar (Portsmouth Business Crime Reduction partnership), Roy Russell (SoBac – Southampton Business against crime), Simon Hayes (Hampshire & Isle of Wight Police and Crime Commissioner), C/Supt Jason Hogg, Jayne Bastock (Winchester BID), Mark Baulch (Hampshire Chamber of Commerce)
Front Row: David Springer (FSB), Neil Eames (FSB), Ed Woodall (Asso of Convenience Stores), Detective Insp Sue Orr
