UK Protect Incident Update
Following the tragic news of the loss of Sir David Amess MP, please find an update from Counter Terrorism Policing.
New radio link launched in Grays, thanks to Safer Streets funding
The Business Crime Team have been working closely with Thurrock Council and businesses in Grays High Street to deliver a radio link initiative.
The project launched on Monday 18th October, with radios distributed to local businesses as a way of giving instant support to each other and linking them all together. The radios can be used to warn other businesses nearby of any immediate threats or incidents in progress and improve sharing of information.
The radios have been supplied free of charge to 35 local businesses for two years, paid for following a successful joint bid to the Home Office’s Safer Streets Fund by the Police, Fire and Crime Commissioner for Essex and Thurrock Council.
Together with the radios, businesses will have access to the ‘Alert’ system, an online platform for users to leave information and intelligence related to crime prevention and detection.
Following this launch in Grays, work is also underway in the Pitsea area to look at upgrading radios and reviving an existing scheme there.
Hate Crime Victim Reassurance
The team are aware of several hate crime incidents being reported by retail staff in the south of the county. Our officers have identified vulnerable victims and visited their places of work to look at crime prevention measures that will be cost effective for the victim but also help to deter any future offences. The team review reports of hate crime against businesses and work with those suffering the most significant issues.
Hate crime is defined as any criminal offence which is perceived by the victim or any other person, to be motivated by hostility or prejudice based on a person's race, religion, sexual orientation, disability and any crime motivated by hostility or prejudice against a person who is transgender or perceived to be transgender. You do not require evidence of the hate element to report an incident, nor do you have to believe a crime has been committed, just to have a victim is enough. It would be enough if you or another person, a witness or even a police officer thought that the incident was hate related.
Historically there have been incidents of hate crime towards some retail workers and it is something that we take extremely seriously. If you require support or would like to receive some crime prevention advice, please do get in touch at business.crime.team@essex.police.uk.
Any incident should be reported online, via 101 or on 999 in an emergency
Amazon Thurrock
The team are building on a new working relationship with employees at Amazon in Tilbury, the largest Amazon depot in the UK. Unfortunately, like other businesses, Amazon suffer incidents and often there is a perception that large corporations can afford the losses. We are working with Amazon to look at crime prevention measures and visited its depot in Thurrock recently to meet with loss prevention officers and crime investigators to get an understanding of crimes being committed.
With a workforce of over 6000, it is also an opportunity for the team to look at reaching a large diverse community of people to advise on topics that may affect them, such as domestic abuse and hate crime. It is also a way for us to break down any perceived barriers and be available to support staff.
Criminal Behaviour Order Training
The Business Crime Team have been successful at court with implementing many Criminal Behaviour Orders on prolific business crime offenders around the county. These orders involve gathering evidence from victims on the impact an incident or offender has had on them personally, their business and livelihoods and then presenting that to the Crown Prosecution Service and then the courts. A successful application will see conditions placed on an offender which not only prohibit their actions or movements but also see offenders engage in rehabilitation and a way out of their pattern of offending.
We are engaging with Community Policing Teams to roll out training to officers which will simplify the process for them, so that it is less time consuming for an officer to obtain an order. This in turn should see a rise in applications and a reduction in offending, targeting those offenders causing the greatest harm to businesses.
When and how to contact the Police
We understand that businesses are extremely busy and not always clear on the most appropriate method to contact the police. If you would like to report business related crime or antisocial behaviour, which is not an emergency you can use our online digital 101 service at www.essex.police.uk. We also have a live chat facility at the bottom of our website or if you prefer to speak to someone you can call 101.
Alternatively if an incident is happening right now, and it feels like the situation could get heated or violent very soon or someone is in immediate danger? Please call 999. If you're deaf or hard of hearing, you can use our textphone service 18000 or text us on 999 if you’ve pre-registered with the emergency SMS service.
If you have ongoing business crime concerns you can contact the Business Crime Team at business.crime.team@essex.police.uk