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Yorkshire business chiefs burdened by £1.2bn 'hidden cost' of crimes
MORE businesses in Yorkshire are the victims of crime than anywhere else in Britain, new research reveals today.
A survey conducted by the Yorkshire and Humber Chambers of Commerce shows that 62 per cent of businesses in the region have been on the receiving end of anything from vandalism to robbery – four per cent more than the UK average.
Now the Yorkshire chambers are to campaign to get soaring business crime placed higher up the police and political agenda.
Nationally the problem is now costing companies 12.6bn and makes up one-sixth of all crimes committed. The damage to the region's economy could be as much as 1.2bn.
Yorkshire Chambers president Michael Oughtred said: "There seems to be a widely held view by politicians, the police and the public that business crime is victimless and need not be a priority for action. This is a dangerous myth. The hidden costs are wasted time, disrupted trade, lower staff morale and postponed investment, and businesses in Yorkshire seem to suffer more than most."
Perhaps most worrying, 66 per cent of businesses believe the current level of crime is having a negative impact on inward investment. That masks particularly high figures in the cities that need it most, with 73 per cent of Bradford businesses believing it puts off incomers, and 74 per cent of those in Hull.
The average cost of crime to each Yorkshire business stands at 17,000 each year, according to the research which involved nearly 4,000 businesses across the country.
Mr Oughtred added: "The business owners and employees who strive so hard to create wealth and contribute to our economy, and who as taxpayers fund the criminal justice system, deserve a better deal.
"Business crime adds to the cost of production and retailing and is directly felt by the public.
"Constrained business growth and limited inward investment in some of our communities costs the jobs we so desperately need."
Director of policy at the Yorkshire Chambers Nick Pontone said the business community appreciated the difficulty that the four police forces in the region had in setting targets, and welcomed the chief constables' support for action on business crime.
But he said that the report did reveal some genuine concerns from companies about the way in which the police prioritise and respond to business crime.
Figures show that 39 per cent of companies would not report a crime because they had 'no confidence in the police response' while 93 per cent believe a 'fast police response' would be effective in reducing crime against business.
Mr Pontone said: "Politicians nationally must give greater priority to business crime. Government must also ensure police forces have the resources to respond properly. We would like to see dedicated, specialist officers helping businesses prevent crime."
One Hull businessman Mark Pearson, of Carpets Direct, told how he even tried to organise a sting after losing 1,500 of stock on two fraudulent transactions, but received little help from police.
The suspicious orders came from Clacton-on-Sea. "I told Essex Police the time I intended to send the order, I told them all you have to do is go along. Essex Police took three days to reply."
Force spokesman Roger Grimwade defended their actions. "Our records show the offence took place in early June 2007, but we have no record of a report until August."
Shadow Home Secretary David Davis said the Government's preferred measure of reporting crime – the British Crime Survey – did not count crime against business.
"Faced with this growing problem, the Government has increasingly resorted to issuing the equivalent of a parking ticket for serious offences like shoplifting, rather than a proper criminal punishment. This sends precisely the wrong message to persistent offenders."
Shadow Business Secretary Alan Duncan added: "By not making the issue a priority, the Government has effectively handed 12.6bn to criminals at the expense of businesses."
The Home Office said the Government was committed to working alongside businesses to find solutions to crime. "We recognise the cost and disruption that crime causes to business as well as its effects for communities and consumers.
"The latest statistics show commercial robbery is down by a third since 2001 but we are not complacent. We expect to widen the range of recorded crimes against business and will conduct another commercial victimisation survey which will include those crimes sometimes not reported to the police, " added the spokesman.
Mr Pontone said: "Politicians nationally must give greater priority to business crime. Government must also ensure police forces have the resources to respond properly. We would like to see dedicated, specialist officers helping businesses prevent crime."
One Hull businessman Mark Pearson, of Carpets Direct, told how he even tried to organise a sting after losing 1,500 of stock on two fraudulent transactions, but received little help from police.
The suspicious orders came from Clacton-on-Sea. "I told Essex Police the time I intended to send the order, I told them all you have to do is go along. Essex Police took three days to reply."
Force spokesman Roger Grimwade defended their actions. "Our records show the offence took place in early June 2007, but we have no record of a report until August."
Shadow Home Secretary David Davis said the Government's preferred measure of reporting crime – the British Crime Survey – did not count crime against business.
"Faced with this growing problem, the Government has increasingly resorted to issuing the equivalent of a parking ticket for serious offences like shoplifting, rather than a proper criminal punishment. This sends precisely the wrong message to persistent offenders."
Shadow Business Secretary Alan Duncan added: "By not making the issue a priority, the Government has effectively handed 12.6bn to criminals at the expense of businesses."
The Home Office said the Government was committed to working alongside businesses to find solutions to crime. "We recognise the cost and disruption that crime causes to business as well as its effects for communities and consumers.
"The latest statistics show commercial robbery is down by a third since 2001 but we are not complacent. We expect to widen the range of recorded crimes against business and will conduct another commercial victimisation survey which will include those crimes sometimes not reported to the police," added the spokesman.
Worst-hit region in Britain
One in four businesses have suffered from at least one burglary in the last year.
Out of the 644 respondents in Yorkshire, 12 have suffered from an arson attack and 21 from a robbery.
The most common crimes are damage to vehicles (28 per cent); vandalism and graffiti (26 per cent); and burglary (25 per cent).
Just 33 per cent of firms reported all business crimes to the police, while a quarter did not report any incidents at all.
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Saturday 26 May 2012
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