Crime reduction 

Business and rural crime

[image: Nick Gilbert, Business Crime Reduction and Engagement Manager]Nick Gilbert, Business and Rural Crime Reduction

We are committed to meeting the needs and building the confidence of our business communities and helping with issues that concern you. Our aim is to make Thames Valley the most prosperous, crime-free region in the country by:

• Working with business to help reduce crime and the fear of crime.
• Involving businesses in creating safer communities.
• Improving the police response to business crime.
• Exchanging advice and best practice.

Businesses and service providers form the backbone of any successful community, and allowing you to trade – and your employees to work – free from the fear of crime is essential to making our communities stronger and more effective.

A recent pilot survey carried out by South Wales Police and Greater Manchester Police on the recording of crimes against business shows that crimes against business make up to 20 per cent of all recorded crime in those areas. This is without the effects of the ‘credit crunch’ but it’s something we believe can be reduced if we all work together.

Your business premises don’t need to look like a fortress. All businesses should consider putting into action the crime prevention advice given in this section. Business security is a key part of any business plan – not just a reaction to an incident.

If you have a business-related problem or need good advice, I urge you to make contact with me or your local neighbourhood policing team to share your experiences. It may be that the answer you need is already there – you could perhaps create a Business Action Group as they have done in Newbury, join a local Retail Business Crime Reduction Partnership (opens new window) (click on the link for an example of how it's done in Milton Keynes), or sign up for a Business Watch scheme, or take the advice offered at the following two web links, and make a commitment to making things better for all.

The National Policing Improvement Agency's 'Neighbourhood Policing - A Business Guide' (PDF 1.14 Mb - opens new window) offers practical help and advice, or the Home Office Crime Reduction website (opens new window) provides further advice on policy and practice.

So, what does this mean in real terms for you? It means that, through organisations like the Thames Valley Chamber of Commerce Group (opens new window) and Milton Keynes and North Bucks Chamber of Commerce (opens new window), and the Federation of Small Businesses (opens new window), we will be readily engaging with you on a local level. This could be anything from a request for security advice in your High Street property, to organised meetings, seminars, workshops and newsletters – all of which are possible to do and excellent ways to keep your assets safe.

I’m not just talking about your property, which is obviously hugely important in itself, but the most important asset any company can have – your workforce. If you want site security surveys, or advice on counter-terrorism, then come and talk to us. Collectively, we have years of experience in dealing with all sorts of crime, so we can help you by providing cost-effective and practical advice but, remember, we cannot and will not be able to help you unless we know what is going on.

Who can I contact?

Whether you are a small, large, national or even multi-national business, you may wish to contact us by using one of the following options:

• If you are a corporate business and want to make contact with me to discuss wider business crime-related issues, please email Nick Gilbert.
• If you require advice on your business premises’ security and are unable to find what you need in this section, contact your local crime prevention and reduction adviser who will be able to help you.
• If you’d like to make contact with your local neighbourhood policing team and seek their help in dealing with local crime issues, find your local neighbourhood in the ‘Your neighbourhood’ section of this website – a direct contact email address is given on your local neighbourhood page.

Please note:

• The advice offered by any of the staff listed above is for crime reduction purposes only so if you have been a victim of a crime and wish to report it, please call 101, the 24-hour Thames Valley Police non-emergency number. Always call 999 in an emergency.
• If however you wish to make a complaint about the way in which your crime has been dealt with, please email our Quality of Service department.