Independent retailers must not be left behind by major supermarket-funded anti-retail-crime initiatives, MP and retail crime campaigner Steve McCabe has warned.
At the retail crime All-Party Parliamentary Group (APPG) meeting on 17 January, representatives from police forces, major retailers and political parties praised data-sharing plans designed to catch shoplifters. These include ‘Project Pegasus’, which allows selected retailers and police to share data on suspected criminals. Meanwhile, ‘One Touch Reporting’ in Brighton simplifies Co-op’s ability to report crime, and the police’s ability to rapidly respond to these reports.
However, these examples and many others are not available to independent shops. While some attendees claimed arresting more suspects was good for all shops, local shop owners have previously expressed concerns around retail crime being pushed into less-protected sites.
Need to share
Addressing politicians, senior police figures and retailers at the event, McCabe, the APPG’s chair, said: “Independent traders have a different funding base and different options [compared with major retailers]. We really need to push for better data, better use, better analysis of what’s already there. There are a lot of really good things happening in the UK and they don’t get shared.”
Also at the meeting, attended by Better Retailing, was Labour’s shadow police minister, Alex Norris. He added that the “extraordinary footprint” of big chains and trade groups gave them the unique ability to determine which measures are most successful in combating retail crime. However, Norris added technology and data cannot make up for challenges in policing.
“The developments around tech are great extras,” Norris said. “but the mundane fact is it’s about police response.”
In this area, the shadow minister said there was cause for alarm. He described holding “concerns about the deliverability” of the Retail Crime Action Plan launched last year. The plan saw police forces pledge to investigate every lead and to prioritise attendance at retail crime incidents involving violence.
Retail Crime Action plan
Patrick Holdaway, from the National Business Crime Centre, was involved in writing the Retail Crime Action Plan. He pointed out that 55% of retail crimes are closed because there is no known suspect. A further 13% because the retailer did not want to go forward.
“If we get reports of the crime and there’s no evidence, I don’t think the public would expect us to investigate,” Holdaway said. “You have to find the most appropriate method for retailers to report.”
He added that police should question “what value” they would be adding by attending crime scenes.
Read more retail crime news
Comments
This article doesn't have any comments yet, be the first!