Salisbury 'not immune' from rising retail crime crisis
Retail Crime cost the UK over £3bn in 2023
Retail crime is a growing national issue - and we've been told Salisbury is not immune from it by the group representing the city's businesses.
Dan Collins from Salisbury BID (Business Improvement District) told Greatest Hits Radio the crime is 'definitely under reported' and is urging businesses to notify police of incidents.
According to the British Retail Consortium's most recent survey(to the end of September 2023) found retail crime cost £3.3 billion, with shoplifting offences 'in the millions'.
But it's not just stealing something from a shop, retail crime can include staff being threatened and, in some cases, assaulted.
Mr Collins said that the BID and their partners at Wiltshire Police and Office of the Police and Crime Commissioner are determined to tackle it 'more effectively'.
He said: "Businesses always want more footfall in the city and there has been signs that's been improving dramatically, but it's what's going out the back door as well.
"For those businesses, their costs will rise through stock loss, but also there's staff retention, because staff don't deserve to be treated in the manner where they're threatened or potentially attacked."
Mr Collins told us that between the BID, the Police and the PCC, they're trying to make it easier for people to report crimes, saying: "We're trying to use the latest technology where we can directly report these issues and give evidence in a much more streamline way."
He's says shop owners MUST report crimes in their stores.
"It's always report, report, report. But at the same time we're we are fully aware that shop staff, they've got 101 things to do but it's so important to report these issues so they can be tackled," Mr Collins said.
He added: "We currently have an Intel system which where they can input crimes that have been reported and known offenders. On top of that as well, we have these regular intelligence meetings that involve city partners such as police and City Council.
"We have CCTV as well which is one of the most effective tools and we have a radio system which all of our shops can be part of.
"So it's sharing intelligence and helping each other out."