New measures to tackle business crime in Merseyside will be introduced on Safer Business Day
07.03.24
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Merseyside
Today the region's Police and Crime Commissioner, Cllr Emily Spurrell, officers from Merseyside Police and businesses in the area are joining forces to mark Safer Doing Business Day.
Local police teams will demonstrate their determination to tackle business-related crime through proactive patrols, plainclothes operations, discussions with shopkeepers and engagement with the local community.
A QR code reporting system is being rolled out to businesses across Merseyside from today to make it easier for security guards and staff to report crimes such as shoplifting. It will be advertised on stickers in retail stores, and when scanned, the QR code will link directly to the police online reporting page.
Once submitted, a Crime Reference Number will be generated and the investigation process will begin, making reporting easier and quicker.
In partnership with Liverpool BID, QR codes have been trialled in Liverpool city centre since September 2023 and have received positive feedback, including a significant increase in reports during this period.
In a bid to further protect businesses and shops from theft and robbery, 100 SelectaDNA intruder spray kits will be installed in shops across the city centre, funded by the PCC and police.
Used exclusively by specially trained security guards and retail store employees, the criminal marking spray is expected to deter crime in stores, prevent stock from being stolen and protect customers and store associates who work tirelessly to serve their communities.
When sprayed on a criminal, it leaves behind a unique DNA code that is only visible under ultraviolet light. This code remains on the criminal's body for several weeks and can be used to forensically link the criminal to a specific incident, increasing the chances of a conviction in court.
Jen Wilson, ACC's local policing, criminal justice and prevention officer, will be on patrol with Liverpool police officers to distribute body cameras to St John's Shopping Centre and independent shops in Bold Street. The highly visible cameras, which will be worn on staff's uniforms, aim to deter anti-social behaviour in the first place and provide additional evidence to police when investigating crime.
The day will also see the holding of a Retail Forum, where more than 30 retailers and business organisations will meet with local police officers and PCCs to set out concrete actions to tackle shoplifting and violence towards shop staff.
While this day of action is designed to raise awareness and increase policing of business crime, officers and partners work every day to tackle issues experienced by shops and customers alike.
The Liverpool City Centre Joint Agency Group (CCJAG) is a multi-agency group working together to tackle business crime issues. Members include representatives from Merseyside Police, Liverpool City Council, Liverpool BID Company, Liverpool One, St John's Shopping Centre, the MetQuarter, the Royal Albert Dock and Clayton Square.
In September 2023, the CCJAG introduced new measures to target criminals and keep retail employees and the public safe.
• Joint patrols with Liverpool One and St John's teams
• Specific training for security guards and retail staff on the SelectaDNA spray kit
• Introduction of QR code reporting system for businesses
• Further promoting the DISC information-sharing platform, which allows businesses to share information that can help identify shoplifters.
• Dedicated officers from local policing teams will be deployed to city centre businesses.
• Strengthening the BID radio network, connecting over 180 active businesses to provide peace of mind and information sharing.
Since these new measures were introduced, between September 2023 and January 2024, crime reports received by police from retailers increased by 37.5% (when compared to the previous 12-month period).
In parallel with the increase in the number of reported crimes, when comparing the aforementioned five months with the five months before the new initiative was introduced (April 2023 to August 2023), there has been a parallel increase in the number of positive outcomes, whereby offenders were identified and strong measures were taken against them.
The number of offenders charged with shop theft in the city centre and summoned to court increased by 47.8% and the number of people given warnings increased by 85.7%.
Merseyside Police Commissioner Emily Spurrell said: “Retailers and businesses are the foundation of our communities.
“Police provide a vital service to our communities and I am committed to supporting their efforts to protect their employees and customers. One way we do this is by investing vital funding in proactive programs that prevent crime and improve safety for businesses.”
“We are pleased to announce these new measures focused on tackling business-related crime as we mark Safe Business Action Day and look forward to meeting with retailers and business associations to discuss how we can work even more closely together to keep retail workers safe and prevent the harm caused by business crime.”
Jen Wilson, ACC's director of local policing, criminal justice and prevention, said: “As part of our commitment to keeping Merseyside businesses safe, we continue to work with retailers to provide crime prevention advice and support. “The impact of crime in retail premises is huge for staff working in those stores, other customers present and the stores themselves.
“We will continue to work with our retailers and partners to prevent crime from occurring, crack down on repeat and repeat offenders, and ensure they protect their employees, customers and businesses from this type of crime.”
“We do this by having a visible presence in busy streets and dealing effectively with reported crime, whilst supporting retailers with crime prevention advice and measures such as body cameras to deter crime and increase opportunities to collect evidence so offenders can be brought to justice.”
Detective Inspector Jack Woodward, police head for business crime in Liverpool, said: Safer Business Day is a great opportunity to engage with retailers and businesses to demonstrate our ongoing commitment to reducing retail crime and pursuing criminals who bring misery to our communities.
“We recognise the impact that corporate crime has on employees, customers and the wider economy, which is why we are committed to providing a strong, visible, targeted response to shoplifting and violence and abuse against store staff to make Merseyside’s high streets and retail spaces safer for us all.”
“By working with businesses we have been able to identify and arrest repeat offenders and take action such as Criminal Behaviour Orders, sending repeat shoplifters to prison.”
“Our work doesn’t end when this day of action ends, so please come forward with any information you have about retail crime in your area so we can continue to disrupt and arrest criminals who blight our communities.”
Sean Holland, operations director at Liverpool BID Company, said: “We're committed to bringing businesses together around the table to voice their views in the run up to Safer Business Action Day, which is part of a national week of action highlighting the challenges businesses face every day, from shoplifting to threats and acts of violence.”
“It is important that we work closely with our partners at Merseyside Police to ensure the concerns of people protecting our high streets and city centres are reported and addressed. We understand the pressure our partners are under without sufficient resources, but these are crimes that affect everyone in the city and we welcome the opportunity to make their voices heard.”
“We will also be sharing success stories, particularly the DISC app which is helping to report crime from the store frontline and empowering our retail partners and their staff. It is important that we all come together to show that we are taking this issue seriously and are united in the fight against this type of crime.”
