The Northumbria Coalition Against Crime is urging small businesses to report all crimes committed against them.

Working with the Federation of Small Businesses (FSB), they are launching a new campaign from today called 'Every Crime, Every Time' which aims to draw attention to the under-reporting of crime by small businesses.

Anne Tate, Chief Executive of the Northumbria Coalition Against Crime, said:"We work closely with businesses to tackle crime committed against them and making sure all crimes are reported to police is an important first step.

"We know that police are very supportive of business, but they need to know about these crimes in order to provide practical support and fully investigate incidents."

Research conducted by the Coalition has shown that only one in every eight crimes is ever reported to police; this means the extent of crime committed against small businesses is vastly under reported.

Northumbria Police Chief Constable Mike Craik said: "We want to encourage businesses and their staff to make sure they fully report all crimes to the police. We need to know the extent of the problem, where and when it is taking place, so we can use our resources to effectively tackle crime and prevent re-offending.

"If we don't know about it then we can't investigate it and bring offenders before the courts. Safeguarding the public and staff who work in business is a major priority and we ask businesses to help themselves by reporting these crimes to us."

David Croucher-Jones, FSB Home Affairs Chairman, said: “It is mystifying that such a large proportion of crime in this country can go almost unnoticed.

"The Every Crime Every Time Campaign is an effort to make the voices of small business owners heard about the crime they are victims of and to get police forces and the Government to listen.

“Crime against business is often thought to be victimless. It’s not. The victims are the communities that small businesses sustain and small business owners themselves are facing a climate of constant intimidation and violence”

Mrs Tate is committed to information sharing between partners to tackle crime. She added: "The North East Retail Crime Partnership, part of the Coalition’s Business Crime Group, launched the National Intelligence Sharing Alliance (n.isa) in June 2007. It is sharing of information which is helping us to stay one step ahead of offenders.

"If one organisation on a business, retail or industrial park suffers from a crime, then it is highly likely that these offenders are committing similar crimes in other areas. But it is imperative that businesses report offences. Reporting to the police is always the preferred option, but if they want to talk to us, or report via the web site, then we will collate the information and pass it onto the police on their behalf. The message is to be pro-active – report Every Crime, Every Time.”

Notes to editors:

Further information and documents relating to the initiative are available at www.thecoalition.org.uk/ecet

The Every Crime, Every Time Campaign was originated by the Scottish Local Retailer.

For interviews with FSB Chief Spokesman Stephen Alambritis or other senior FSB personnel please contact the FSB Press Office:

FSB Press Office
Matthew Knowles: 020 7592 8113 / 07917 628991
Simon Briault: 020 7592 8128 / 07917 628998
Belinda Webb: 020 7592 8121 / 07825 125 695

For regional FSB contacts please go to www.fsb.org.uk/regions

For interviews with the Coalition Against Crime spokesman, please contact Mrs Anne Tate, Chief Executive, on 01661 868424 or 07736 875665 or by email to anne@ncac.org.uk

For interviews with the Editor or the Scottish Local Retailer, please contact Anthony Begley on 0141 22 25 380 / 0788 923 177 or by email to abegley@55north.com

Northumbria Coalition Against Crime, Northumbria Police HQ, Ponteland, Newcastle upon Tyne NE20 0BL
Telephone 01661 868 424, Fax 01661 868488, E-mail info@thecoalition.org.uk