Dacorum businesses encouraged to report theft and burglaries

Businesses in Dacorum which fall victim to theft and burglary are being encouraged to report the crimes to police.

Despite business burglary dropping by a third in the past two years it is expected to rise following the lifting of Covid restrictions.

Now, shops and firms are being reminded how they can contact the police if they have been targeted.

The advice comes from the Independent Business Advisory Group (IBAG) which is run by the office of the Police and Crime Commissioner for Hertfordshire.

During the previous two years the average number of business burglaries in the county have dropped to 77 per month, compared to 122 per month before the pandemic.

Shops and supermarkets are burglars favourite target making up a third of all properties effected, followed by schools, pubs, depots, building sites, hotels, commercial properties and sports clubs. The most stolen items include food, tools, cash and mobile phones.

Chief Superintendent Richard Liversidge said: “We want businesses to feel confident about reporting burglary to us as we often hear the complaint ‘it is not worth it as the police won’t do anything.’

“But businesses are deserving of a police service in the same way that residents are entitled to a response.

"We need to know what type of burglaries are happening, and when and where, so we can build up a picture of the problem and allocate resources effectively.

“If your shop or firm is a victim of burglary then do let us know as the more information we have the better the chance we have to catching the burglars.”

Crimes can be reported online, on the phone via 101 or at a police station with a front counter service.

Jeremy Bishop, who is chairman of both IBAG and the Hertfordshire Chamber of Commerce said: “Business Burglary is a constant concern of business owners.

"One of the main aims of IBAG is to build trust and engagement by giving people the facts and explaining what they can do about issues and how they can get them resolved.”

To find out more details about IBAG or to join, visit: www.hertscommissioner.org/IBAG.