Bury BID Responds to Retail Crime Concerns with New Support Measures for Businesses

Bury BID Responds to Retail Crime Concerns with New Support Measures for Businesses

Retail crime continues to be a growing concern for businesses across the UK, with recent figures from the British Retail Consortium revealing a record £1.8 billion in losses linked to theft and crime in 2023. Shoplifting, abuse of staff, and anti-social behaviour are now among the top daily challenges faced by high street retailers — and Bury is no exception.

At Bury BID, we’ve heard from many of our town centre businesses asking for practical help in tackling these issues — particularly when it comes to understanding how, when, and where to report crime. In response, we are stepping up our efforts to support our business community with a series of initiatives under our ‘Keeping Bury Safe’ campaign.

One of the key actions is the launch of the Business Crime Reporting (BCR) system — a new app that allows businesses to quickly log and report incidents in real time. This tool is designed to make it easier for businesses to share information and ensure the right people are notified promptly, improving the efficiency and visibility of reporting across the town centre.

In addition, we are hosting a dedicated event to support crime prevention and improve the confidence of businesses when it comes to reporting. The Keeping Bury Safe: Crime Prevention Event will take place on Tuesday 17 June, from 2:00–4:30pm at the Fusilier Museum, featuring speakers from Greater Manchester Police, Bury Council, Mill Gate Shopping Centre, and Bury BID. The event will offer clear guidance on how to report crime, what to report, and how to follow up on outcomes.

These efforts are especially timely, as new legislation under the UK Government’s Retail Crime Action Plan is placing more pressure on police forces to treat shoplifting and abuse of retail workers as serious offences. Better reporting from businesses will ensure incidents are recorded, investigated, and followed up more consistently.

Places for the event are limited — to book, email poppy.howarth@burybid.co.uk.

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