Safer Business Week launches to support Liverpool retailers impacted by crime

Merseyside Police and partners are supporting the national Safer Business Action Week to help tackle business and retail crime in our local communities.

As part of the initiative, police and partners will be holding Safer Business Action Days throughout the week and visiting local retailers and other businesses to understand more about the issues they are facing on a daily basis.

The objective is to deliver a focussed operation with joint patrols, the targeted intervention of prolific offenders and a range of crime prevention activity supported by the National Business Crime Centre who organise SaBA Week.

Local officers from across the region will be involved in patrols, plain clothed operations and engaging with local business and shop owners and the local community to help tackle retail and business crime.

Alongside Liverpool BID in September 2023 this year a QR code reporting system was introduced to make reporting crimes like shoplifting easier for security and staff placed in retail spaces, when scanned the QR code links directly to the police online reporting page where officers will receive a crime reference number and get to work on their investigations. Already the QR system has seen a huge increase in the reporting of crimes by 43% which has been welcomed by local retailers and local businesses in the fight against crime.

Safer Business Week — Picture – Liverpool BID Company

Force Lead for Business Crime, Chief Inspector Charlotte Irlam from Liverpool Neighbourhood Local Policing said:

“We are putting extra resources into our local centres in all of our areas including Liverpool, Knowsley, St Helens, Wirral and Sefton to ensure we carry on the important work we started in supporting local businesses and retailers.

“We are pleased with the results so far and the increase in reporting crime through our QR code system and we will continue to work with our partners to tackle retail and business crime. I would like to thank all of our partners for their continued cooperation and support.”

To further protect businesses and shop premises from burglaries and robberies, 100 SelectaDNA Intruder Spray kits have been purchased to support businesses
across the city centre, to be used by trained security guards and retail staff, to deter offenders, funded by the PCC and the police.

The spray kits have a unique DNA code left on the offender after being sprayed which can only be detected under UV light. It remains on the offender for weeks and can be used to forensically link offenders back to a particular incident, enhancing the likelihood of a successful conviction in court.

Merseyside’s Police Commissioner Emily Spurrell said:

“Retailers and businesses are an essential part of our communities and the people who work in this sector should be able to do their jobs without fear of violence and abuse. We need them to thrive, for our city centre and town centres to remain prosperous as safe, fun and engaging places people love to visit.

“Earlier this year, I committed to support initiatives which protect them, their employees, and their customers by investing vital funds into positive schemes which can prevent crime and improve the safety of businesses.

“As we mark Safer Business Action week, I’m pleased to see that the measures we introduced, such as the QR reporting tool are proving to be successful assets in our armoury to tackle business-related crime.

“I would urge all retailers and businesses to utilise them, where possible, so we can continue to work together to stand united in our fight against retail crime.”

Superintendent Patrick Holdaway of the National Business Crime Centre said:

“Last year’s week of action saw some fantastic results in targeting those who cause the most harm to businesses and also in building ongoing relationships between business, partners and the police.”.

“This is a great opportunity to shine a light on some of the current issues businesses face and also to highlight the ongoing work that police and partners are doing, supported by the NBCC, to tackle the problems that matter to local retailers and other businesses.”