Government gets tough on business crime

David Blunkett: Calling for an anti-crime partnership

by Myles Neligan BBC News Online reporter at the BCC Conference

Home Secretary David Blunkett has pledged to help businesses protect themselves against crime.

Mr Blunkett told the British Chambers of Commerce annual conference that the government was set to launch the first survey of business crime for eight years in order to gauge the extent of the problem.

The move comes in response to BCC research suggesting that the cost of crime to British businesses is running as high as £19bn a year.

But Mr Blunkett urged businesses to "play their full part" in combating crime by upgrading security measures and employing ex-offenders as part of their rehabilitation.

"It is vital that business punches its full weight in terms of protecting its customers, staff, and the wider community from becoming the victims of crime," he said.

Crime targets

The BCC - the UK's second-biggest business lobby group - welcomed the government's survey, but called for concrete measures to cut down on theft, burglary and fraud.

"We hope that on the back of (the survey), Mr Blunkett will set some measurable targets for assessing the progress of his reforms," said BCC President Anthony Goldstone.

The BCC survey earlier this week showed that 58% of businesses have been hit by crime in the last year, with burglary and vandalism the most frequently reported offences.

Crime costs the average UK business £5,000 a year, the survey suggested.

Last year, the government spent £170m setting up security cameras in crime-ridden areas.

It provided a further £15m in grants aimed at helping shops in deprived areas upgrade their security equipment.