The Northamptonshire B.C.P was formed in 2015 to develop and replicate the award winning Northampton Retail Crime Initiative throughout Northamptonshire. The NBCP is an umbrella body that manages the existing Northampton, Wellingborough, Kettering and Corby Retail Crime Initiatives and is in the process of establishing identical RCI'S in all Northants County towns and area's throughout 2017.
We form part of the Crime and Disorder Strategy and have close links with Northampton, Wellingborough and Kettering Borough Councils, Northampton and Wellingborough BID's, Northants Police, the Anti Social Behaviour Unit and a number of other proactive teams. We also form part of the South Midlands Business Crime Group, sharing intelligence with similar schemes from Warwickshire through to Newbury.
The scheme highlights to members any active criminals engaged in theft offences against both businesses and individuals, either alone or as part of an organised team. Persistent offenders are then served with an Exclusion Notice, which removes their unconditional right to enter Members' Retail Premises, making them a trespasser and liable to eviction. These Exclusion Notices are valid for a 12 month period and apply to all member premises once issued.
The existence of an Exclusion Order may also be mentioned in court prior to sentencing, and acts as an aggravating factor which the magistrates may take into account when deciding on an appropriate outcome. In addition any new methods of theft identified are also communicated to member businesses.
Currently we have over 200 member stores ranging from small independent traders through to large multi-nationals. These are located across Northamptonshire and include all of the retail parks.
At present we have 136 individuals excluded from premises, with another 200+ targets identified countywide.
The cost for membership is based on the number of staff within that premises. The cost starts at £80 and goes up to those with more than 50 staff, where the cost would be £460 annually.
If you would like any further information please email info@retailcrime.org or tel 01604 629 181
Initiative benefits
- Becomes an effective CRIME REDUCTION strategy to be adopted by the Local Authority, Police, and Retailers.
- Reduces losses by preventing theft.
- Access to our secure online members' area which is a countywide resource.
- Report Crime on-line, fast & efficiently, direct to Northants Police via our Members’ area without calling on 101.
- Develops an effective partnership between Police, Local Authority and the Business community.
- Targets the major retail thieves’ enabling existing security staff to have more effective use of resources.
- Local RCI Window stickers to deter Excluded Offenders from entering.
- Empowers staff by having access to reference material and photographs of active thieves.
- Supports staff when dealing with situations which in turn increases staff confidence.
- Promotes a more relaxed shopping environment and encourages more customers, which in turn increases trading.
- Service of an Exclusion Notice means exclusion from all members’ premises.
- Retailers work closer in partnership to share information more professionally.
- Training for staff on related matters e.g. action to take, theft, identifying suspects, what to look for etc.
The cost starts at £80 and goes up to those with more than 50 staff, where the cost would be £460 annually, with our year running from 1st July through to 30th June.
