Rochford Council Promote Essex Business Crime Survey 2019

Rochford Council are emailing all their business subscribers to encourage them to take part in the 2019 Essex Business Crime Survey.

Roger Hirst, the Police Fire and Crime Commissioner for Essex is seeking the views of businesses on crime and crime prevention in Essex. The online survey, in collaboration with the Essex Chambers of Commerce, will help shape the way business crime is tackled in Essex and support the work of the Strategic Business Crime Board.

Launching the survey, Mr Hirst said

“Businesses are a vital part of our communities. By providing goods and services, offering employment and generating wealth they add life and vibrancy to our communities.”

“We are privileged in Essex to have a dynamic and innovative business community. They already work well with the police to reduce the risk of crime happening, work together to create safe environments and provide vital intelligence.”

Doing more together

Essex Police already works closely with businesses to identify and wherever possible prevent crime taking place, but we know that together we can do more. Business crime accounts for between 17% and 20% of all recorded crime in Essex with approximately 24,000 crimes recorded annually. The largest type of business crime is retail crime, predominately shoplifting, which is 40% of all business crime. Other significant types of crime committed against businesses includes fraud, criminal damage and theft.

Chief Inspector Terry Balding said

“We are currently developing a team whose focus will be on crime affecting business and the impact it has on the wider community. The Business Crime Team will work with our partners, local business and our well established Local policing teams. The information gathered by the survey will help to guide this development.”

As well as supporting the development of the business crime strategy, the survey results will also feed into the work of the Strategic Business Crime Board. This business-led board, chaired by the Chamber of Commerce, was established in July 2018 to help develop a closer working relationship between the business community and Essex Police. The board’s membership is drawn from businesses from different sectors and locations across Essex.

The Business Crime Survey will close on Sunday 22nd September. The survey results will then be published on the PFCC’s website at www.essex.pfcc.police.uk

If you’re looking to possible prevent business crime from taking place, have a chat with one of our experts