ACS 2021 Crime Report now available
Posted on in Business News, Cycles News
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ber ACS (the Association of Convenience Stores) has now launched their Crime Report 2021 which is available here. The report found that retail crime has a huge economic impact on local shops, costing £142 million, but also a direct impact on people working in shops from violence and verbal abuse.
The report estimates there were over 40,000 incidents of violence and threats in the sector in the last year. 89% of store colleagues experienced verbal abuse; there were over 1.2million incidents with retailers estimating that 21% of these were hate motivated.
The sector has seen over 1.1million incidents of theft in the last year. Retailers attribute 63% of shop thefts to repeat offenders, with the majority of these motivated by a drug or alcohol addiction. Encountering shop thieves is now followed by customers not following covid guidelines and enforcing age-restrictions as top trigger for violence; duties that shopworkers are required by law to enforce.
The report highlights the significant investments convenience retailers are making to protect their colleagues and customers, spending on average, £3,724 per store on CCTV, security staff and other features to reduce crime and prevent violence.
ACS will use the report to communicate the need for action on retail crime with government officials and parliamentarians, as they continue to call for tougher penalties for assaults on retail workers. The Crime Report also provides evidence for much needed action from Police and Crime Commissioners to prioritise retail crime in their Police and Crime Plans, providing a better response at local level.
Alongside the Crime Report, ACS have also published their Crime Guidance 2021. The guidance includes advice for retailers on how to report violent crime, managing workplace safety, scams and fraud, and information on the ShopKind campaign. The Crime Guidance is available here.
ber ACS (the Association of Convenience Stores) has now launched their Crime Report 2021 which is available here. The report found that retail crime has a huge economic impact on local shops, costing £142 million, but also a direct impact on people working in shops from violence and verbal abuse.The report estimates there were over 40,000 incidents of violence and threats in the sector in the last year. 89% of store colleagues experienced verbal abuse; there were over 1.2million incidents with retailers estimating that 21% of these were hate motivated.
The sector has seen over 1.1million incidents of theft in the last year. Retailers attribute 63% of shop thefts to repeat offenders, with the majority of these motivated by a drug or alcohol addiction. Encountering shop thieves is now followed by customers not following covid guidelines and enforcing age-restrictions as top trigger for violence; duties that shopworkers are required by law to enforce.
The report highlights the significant investments convenience retailers are making to protect their colleagues and customers, spending on average, £3,724 per store on CCTV, security staff and other features to reduce crime and prevent violence.
ACS will use the report to communicate the need for action on retail crime with government officials and parliamentarians, as they continue to call for tougher penalties for assaults on retail workers. The Crime Report also provides evidence for much needed action from Police and Crime Commissioners to prioritise retail crime in their Police and Crime Plans, providing a better response at local level.
Alongside the Crime Report, ACS have also published their Crime Guidance 2021. The guidance includes advice for retailers on how to report violent crime, managing workplace safety, scams and fraud, and information on the ShopKind campaign. The Crime Guidance is available here.
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