If you have recently started a new business in Birmingham, you have just entered the biggest business hub in the West Midlands. However, it’s still a good idea to be cautious and stay protected. Reporting an official crime rate of 145 crimes per 1000 residents, no major city in the West Midlands has a higher crime rate than Birmingham.
That’s more than 48% higher than the regional crime rate of 124 crimes per 1,000 residents. Since safety and security always starts with knowledge, take a quick look through some of the key stats next. Be more informed about crimes that affect businesses in Birmingham the most.
Robbery
Robberies are by far the most common crimes committed against businesses in Birmingham. In fact, robbery is the most common crime overall in Birmingham, which means that it’s the biggest criminal threat in the city right now for businesses and homes alike. Consider the fact that the crime rate for robberies in Birmingham is 224% higher than the national average.
Given that most successful and attempted robberies reported in Birmingham are armed robberies, you must take measures to protect yourself, your employees, and your business against robbery attempts. Contact Taybar security in Birmingham to receive comprehensive protection against robbers through specially trained and adequately equipped security personnel. You should never attempt to take on professional criminals with weapons on your own and the same goes for your regular employees.
Crimes Related to Commercial Vehicles
Commercial vehicles such as cargo trucks are also prime targets in Birmingham. It’s the second most common crime committed against businesses. It should be noted that there is a big difference between crimes related to personal vehicles and those related to commercial vehicles. For example, drink driving and road rage lead to tragic consequences and criminal charges for car owners all the time. That is not the kind of criminal activity that affects businesses.
Crimes against commercial vehicles are almost always planned acts of grand theft auto and/or armed robbery. There are no crimes of passion or negligence involved here, but they are each an act of professional crime, often (but not exclusively) conducted by larger, organised criminal associations.
If your business involves logistics management, consult your security company to discuss possible options. Guards in the vehicle can prove to be effective in thwarting attempted robberies, but that’s not a guaranteed assurance. Also, this increases the cargo’s overhead cost. Drivers must be trained to take safer routes and travel during safer hours to minimise their chances of being robbed.
Burglary
Robbery and burglary are very similar crimes, and these two terms are often used interchangeably as well. However, there are a few key distinctions here, especially since we are discussing crimes that affect businesses.
Unlike robberies, burglaries are conducted in the absence of people. That is not to say burglars do not pose any danger because they are likely to harm or even kill someone if they come across an unexpected witness or deterrence. Nevertheless, burglaries are categorised under crimes of stealth, which poses a greater risk for businesses.
Even if you are fully prepared to stop a robbery, how will you stop a crime that you are not even aware of at the time? Thankfully, even burglaries can be stopped effectively by your security company in Birmingham. It requires setting up an alarm system and getting into a key holding arrangement with your security service provider.
They security company will send response teams to your place of business as soon as an alarm is triggered. Since they are also holding the key to your facility, it will allow them and the police to quickly access the facility. In a majority of the attempted burglaries, this is more than enough to discourage the assailants.
Shoplifting
Unsurprisingly, shoplifting is one of the most common crimes that affect businesses in Birmingham. However, preventing instances of shoplifting is quite possible with the help of CCTV surveillance and concierge security personnel. Most shoplifting incidents are minor and can be handled rather easily, but the situation can get out of hand in the absence of trained security personnel.
Rarely, shoplifters may act violently in self-defence, or they may simply run away with the stolen goods. Although it’s not a major concern, even shoplifting incidents can become problematic without the presence of adequate security personnel and CCTV coverage.
Despite the crime rates and a degree of higher risk, business in Birmingham is growing across multiple sectors. As long as you take the necessary precautions, you should have no cause for concern. Also, be a bit choosy with the location to further lower any chances of being affected by the local crime.
