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Business Crime

Date published: 24 February 2022 16:19

The majority of burglaries are committed by opportunist thieves.

It is important that you review your security regularly. All of your staff should be fully trained and encouraged to identify security risks. With a bit of thought and preparation, you can significantly reduce opportunities for criminals to break into your business.

Secure your business

Business layout – ensure that the design of your business layout makes in difficult and less attractive to robbers.

Maintain your premise - make sure boundaries are secure, use sufficient lighting and bushes or nearby trees are not overgrown. Reduce the number of places youths can congregate or criminals can hide to gain access to the roof or unattended entrances.

Alarm systems – make sure you have a monitored and fully operational alarm system. Panic alarms can be linked via an intruder alarm system to summon police assistance. These can be activated by foot or hand switches, or within till drawers. Make it clear if you have these types of alarm systems in place to deter thieves.

Operational CCTV system - make sure that CCTV is in working order, provides good quality images and covers vulnerable areas. For advice and approved suppliers of alarms and CCTV, visit the National Security Inspectorate and the Security Systems Alarms Inspection Board.

Control access to your premises - keep doors, gates and fences well maintained. Make sure that any doors and gates are locked and secure when not in use.

Visitors to your business - ensure that staff understand their role in keeping your business secure and visitors are signed in and out and, where practical, are escorted whilst on the premises.

High-value items – keep goods away from display windows and doors. Marking your property makes it less attractive to thieves because it is clearly identifiable and harder to sell. Use free facilities such as Immobilise and police crime reduction surveys.

Train staff - to look out for criminal behaviour and know what steps to take if your business is targeted.

Keep equipment safe and locked away - make sure that anti-virus and security software are kept up-to-date to protect your business from cybercrime.

Keep the amount of cash and other valuables on the premises to a minimum - use a safe to keep down the amount of cash in tills at all times.

Review your banking and accounts procedures - to reduce the risk of being a victim of fraud. Also alter the times and days that you travel to the bank.

Rented premises - make sure you know what they are being used for criminals use rented and vacant premises for storing stolen goods, growing cannabis, striping down stolen vehicles and a host of other criminal activities. Work together with neighbours and other nearby businesses to make yours a safer community.

Download this security checklist which is designed to give you a list of points to consider to help you improve your business's security.

Suzy Lamplugh Trust - Workplace Safety Survey 2018

Suzy Lamplugh Trust’s vision is a society in which people are safer – and feel safer – from violence and aggression. This small national charity was founded by Diana and Paul Lamplugh following the disappearance of their daughter Suzy, a young estate agent, in 1986.

Every year, Suzy Lamplugh Trust hosts National Personal Safety Day, a campaign to increase national awareness about personal safety. This year, NPSD will be held on 8th November, and will be focusing on violence and aggression against employees in the retail sector.

To support this year’s campaign, Suzy Lamplugh Trust will research risks to personal safety for employees in the retail sector and produce personal safety tips for employers to keep staff safe and for employees to keep themselves safe. It is hoped that employers will implement the safety advice produced and that risks to personal safety that currently exist in the workplace will be more widely understood. To this end, an awareness-raising pamphlet was be produced, highlighting risks to staff in the retail sector and recommendations for practical steps for employers to take to improve personal safety of employees.

Suzy Lamplugh Trust needs your help to ensure their research and safety advice is as comprehensive, up-to-date and relevant as possible. Regardless of whether you are an employer or employee, your contribution is valued and desired.

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