Staffordshire’s Police and Crime Commissioner Matthew Ellis spoke at the launch of a new initiative to tackle business crime in Cheadle today, 20 November.
The Cheadle and District Retail Crime Initiative is part of the Partnership Against Business Crime in Staffordshire (PABCIS). It aims to reduce business crime in areas including Cheadle, Leek and Biddulph by engaging independent local traders.
PABCIS received £12,000 from the Commissioner’s Proceeds of Crime Fund (formerly the Local Policing Fund) which enabled them to set up the retail crime initiative.
PABCIS is the overarching umbrella organisation under which all local Business Crime Partnerships, ShopWatch and Pubwatch schemes sit to ensure consistency in operation, policy and service delivery to businesses. PABCIS also manages the central intelligence hub into which local schemes feed information so that action can be taken by businesses, police and partners.
Mr Ellis said: “Retail crime, in particular shoplifting, affects businesses big and small. I am determined that victims of business crime will not be forgotten and it was great to talk to local retailers in Cheadle today.
“I was extremely pleased to see how many local businesses have signed up to the initiative already including Alton Towers and Tesco.”
Mr Ellis has launched the Business Crime Matters strategy, spearheaded by Deputy PCC Sue Arnold, to tackle business crime and help promote economic growth.
Julie Davies, coordinator of PABCIS said: “As lead on PABCIS, I am really pleased that we have been able to incorporate Cheadle Retail Crime Initiative into the Countywide Business Crime Reduction Partnership. PABCIS is a nationally recognised partnership which pulls together all local schemes in the County thereby sharing best practice, creating consistency, and helping to reduce issues which affect the trading environment of businesses.
“Businesses are our lifeblood in the town centres and we must do all we can to protect them. I am extremely grateful to the Office of the Police and Crime Commissioner in helping us to roll out PABCIS to the three market towns in the Moorlands. Cheadle is the next stage of this role out and I look forward to working with the business community in the area.
“We are delighted with the take up for membership in Cheadle and District which includes a diverse range of business from small independent retailers to organisations such as Alton Towers. Any businesses wishing to join can do so by accessing the PABCIS website – www.pabcis.co.uk.”
