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True Cost of Crime Revealed
Listed under: News
Published: Thursday, September 16, 2010
Retailers have lost up to £3,000 as a result of criminal activity over the past 12 months, with a staggering two thirds of small businesses in the UK falling victim to some form of wrongdoing, according to recent research from The Federation of Small Businesses (FSB).
The report, Localism and Tackling Crimes Against Business, reveals that 64% of small businesses have been targeted by criminals, with an alarming amount – 39% – admitting they have not reported the attacks.
Reasons for not contacting the authorities ranged from believing it would achieve nothing, to thinking it would not lead to a prosecution or be taken seriously by police – accounting for 46%, 34% and 25% of the responses respectively.
The Group is calling for greater measures to be introduced to protect smaller businesses from crime – something it believes is not only costing retailers enormous amounts of money many simply cannot afford to lose, but also forcing a number of establishments to close as well.
Commenting on the results, Mike Cherry, policy chairman of the FSB, says, “Small businesses are the heart of our local communities and a crime against one is not just an attack against that company, but affects staff and has repercussions on the wider area. With two thirds of firms still a victim of crime, the Government needs to step up and engage with this important sector.”
He continues, “It is paramount that it sets out the right local agenda to protect these vital firms that are currently losing up to £3,000 a year to crime. We cannot watch small businesses being repeatedly victimised and as a result forced to close. Companies need to be encouraged to report attacks as soon as they happen.”
Rob Garnham, chair of the Association of Police Authorities, agrees the statistics are alarming, adding, “Crimes against small businesses hit hard. The negative impact on local communities across the country should not be underestimated. Many of these companies are run by members of the local area so it is important that those places and firms themselves have confidence that the police are willing to act when crimes are reported.
“We would encourage any small business to work with their local police authority if they feel they are not getting the service they deserve,” he says. “These individuals are committed to working to ensure that companies are supported and protected from crime at all times.”
Have you been a victim of crime over the past year? Email your thoughts to .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address)
The report, Localism and Tackling Crimes Against Business, reveals that 64% of small businesses have been targeted by criminals, with an alarming amount – 39% – admitting they have not reported the attacks.
Reasons for not contacting the authorities ranged from believing it would achieve nothing, to thinking it would not lead to a prosecution or be taken seriously by police – accounting for 46%, 34% and 25% of the responses respectively.
The Group is calling for greater measures to be introduced to protect smaller businesses from crime – something it believes is not only costing retailers enormous amounts of money many simply cannot afford to lose, but also forcing a number of establishments to close as well.
Commenting on the results, Mike Cherry, policy chairman of the FSB, says, “Small businesses are the heart of our local communities and a crime against one is not just an attack against that company, but affects staff and has repercussions on the wider area. With two thirds of firms still a victim of crime, the Government needs to step up and engage with this important sector.”
He continues, “It is paramount that it sets out the right local agenda to protect these vital firms that are currently losing up to £3,000 a year to crime. We cannot watch small businesses being repeatedly victimised and as a result forced to close. Companies need to be encouraged to report attacks as soon as they happen.”
Rob Garnham, chair of the Association of Police Authorities, agrees the statistics are alarming, adding, “Crimes against small businesses hit hard. The negative impact on local communities across the country should not be underestimated. Many of these companies are run by members of the local area so it is important that those places and firms themselves have confidence that the police are willing to act when crimes are reported.
“We would encourage any small business to work with their local police authority if they feel they are not getting the service they deserve,” he says. “These individuals are committed to working to ensure that companies are supported and protected from crime at all times.”
Have you been a victim of crime over the past year? Email your thoughts to .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address)
