It is reported that 1 in 5 businesses are impacted by crime. This report comes from research by RSA and the British Businesses Blighted by Yobs survey. The research showed that petty theft, vandalism and malicious damage costs businesses around £9.8 billion every year.
On average 1 in 5 businesses are impacted by crime. These crimes are costing businesses anything between £20,000 and £66,000 per year. However, this is dependent on the business sector or industry and the geographical location of the business.
There are some businesses that are more at risk than other businesses. For example, businesses within the utilities, engineering, construction, transport or agriculture sectors are more at risk than other businesses. Figures across regions within the UK vary. However, at the top of the list for petty theft, vandalism and even arson to businesses is East and West Midlands and the South East. The petty thefts, arson and vandalism in these regions are costing businesses a huge £155 million a year.
You may think you are a safe as a small business, but it is not just the big businesses that are being hit by criminals and subsequent crimes. Some recent research from the FSA stated that smaller businesses within the UK are particularly vulnerable to crime. In fact, 2.54 million small businesses in England and Wales have experienced at least one crime to their business in the last 2 years.
The crime of burglary to businesses accounts for 42% of reported crimes by businesses. This is followed by criminal damage which is reported by 36% of businesses that are reporting a crime. These crimes are costing small businesses £3,340 per crime, on average.
Further research from the National Crime Agency reported that 22% of crimes to agriculture, fishing and forestry businesses were burglaries and attempted burglaries. Police feel that 40% of these burglaries were committed by organised groups of criminals. Just less than three quarters (72%) of these businesses have also been affected by anti-social behaviour. These businesses have stated that this has had a negative impact on their business. In fact 42% of these businesses stated that they have suffered a negative financial impact further to this ant-social behaviour.
How are you protecting and securing your business?
