The number of crimes affecting retail commercial properties has risen by 15.6 per cent in 2012, but the actual number of reported crimes has dropped according to the British Retail Consortium (BRC).
Retailers should have the confidence to report a crime to the police
In 2011 around 47 per cent of thefts by customers were reported to police, but that fell to just 12 per cent in 2012. The most reported crimes were violence against staff members, robbery and customer thefts.
The cost of the crimes in retail properties cost £1.6 billion last year. £200 million of that alone was in stolen goods, after two million shoplifting incidents.
Speaking of the crime statistics for retail properties, Helen Dickinson, Director General at the BRC, said:
“Systematic targeting of higher value goods by organised criminals is pushing up the cost of retail crime but the proportion of shoplifting incidents reported to police has plummeted to just one in eight – highlighting just how much there is to do to build retailers’ confidence in the way police forces respond.
“Retail crime doesn’t only impact on its direct victims but on wider communities. It damages the reputation of local areas and those who steal from shops commit other sorts of crime.”
According to the report around one in twenty commercial properties were targeted by thieves during last year, with the average cost to the affected retailer costing over £3,000. Because of this, retailers are spending on average £750,000 in crime prevention equipment.
“Retailers are spending more than ever on protecting their customers, staff and stock,” Helen added.
Retail properties on the high street will always be targeted by criminals, but should victims report the crimes to the police, or simply suffer in silence?
Helen believes: “Staff should have [the] confidence to report [a] crime and [know] that action will be taken against those responsible for it.” But having the confidence to press charges and take these criminals to court can be quite overwhelming for some people and simply keeping quiet seems the best option.
Do you think that you would report a crime if you were a victim of violence or theft? Or would you simply keep quiet?
