Business Crime

Business crime includes ‘all crime and disorder committed by or against businesses.’  This can be targeted against a single person working in business, against a single business, or may be part of a wider pattern of crime which adversely impacts a number of businesses in the same sector, or in the same geographical area. 

Some of the crimes that could affect businesses include: 

• commercial robbery
• fraud and forgery
• shop theft
• theft by employees
• theft of and from vehicles
• making off without payment (for example from petrol forecourts)

It could also include violent crimes such as assault, harassment or robbery, as well as anti-social behaviour and criminal damage.

Crime problems and appropriate responses, can vary enormously depending on the offences being committed, the business sectors involved, their locations and the size of business operations.  The group will need to take account of each of these dimensions identifying problems, developing a strategic approach and targeting interventions.