FWD crime awareness campaign is backed by the Met

Backed by the Metropolitan Police and the National Business Crime Centre, the FWD is raising awareness of crime in cash & carry car parks through a campaign running in London.

The FWD has published new leaflets and posters outlining simple actions that retailers can take to keep their belongings safe. These include:

• Always keep your vehicle locked, with nothing valuable visible inside
• Don’t leave your purchases unattended while loading
• Be aware of anyone watching you.

The FWD’s director of communications David Visick pointed out that the risk of criminal activity in cash & carry car parks is low, and incidents have not increased in the 10 years that the FWD has been recording them.

“Wholesalers do all they can to prevent criminal activity on their premises, including employing security guards and dog patrols in the most vulnerable areas,” he said.

“From our monitoring of these incidents, it’s clear that the vast majority of thefts came about because the retailer gave the criminals an opportunity that could easily have been avoided. We’ve heard stories of a cash & carry customer leaving £5,000 in cash in plain view on the front seat of their van, and of someone leaving a trolley load of cigarettes and alcohol unattended beside their vehicle while they went back inside for another [trolley load].

“FWD has been working with the Metropolitan Police and the National Business Crime Centre to raise awareness of the potential for criminal activity in cash & carry car parks. These posters in the car parks and leaflets distributed at the reception desk are a reminder to customers to take some simple precautions to protect themselves and their purchases.”

The leaflets also remind retailers to report suspicious activity to depot staff. If they are unlucky enough to be a victim of crime, they should report it to both the wholesaler and the local police.

Darren Conway of FWD’s security partner Lodge Service said: “Crime can be stopped by collaboration between wholesalers, security providers, the police, and business crime reduction partnerships. Accurate and timely data and intelligence is the key, and that’s why it’s so important all incidents are reported.

“Predictive analytics can be used along with rapid deployment systems and officers to intercept criminals and ultimately prevent further offences being committed. The more secure a business is both inside and out, the more unattractive to a criminal it becomes.”