http://www.crimematters.org.uk/rss/rss_build.php Reduce Business Crime - Crimematters News Feed en-gb Thu, 28 Aug 2008 05:01:10 BST Thu, 28 Aug 2008 05:01:10 BST http://blogs.law.harvard.edu/tech/rss tim@mediahackers.com phil.laker@crimematters.org.uk http://www.crimematters.org.uk/getNewsArticle.php?news_id=48 Businesses across Northamptonshire are being warned to be on their guard after a number of incidents where gangs of people have gone into retail or other commercial premises and distracted the staff, allowing accomplices to walk into offices or other private areas and steal cash and property. There have been six offences in Northamptonshire that are linked by the fact that the offenders have been in groups of seven or eight people gangs is unusual in that they enter stores in large numbers, usually around seven or eight people, and will go to any lengths to keep staff busy. Similar offences have been reported across the country. http://www.crimematters.org.uk/getNewsArticle.php?48 http://www.crimematters.org.uk/getNewsArticle.php?news_id=47 A BUSINESSMAN and a group of women who joined forces to tackle youth crime triumphed at a ceremony honouring community cohesion. http://www.crimematters.org.uk/getNewsArticle.php?47 http://www.crimematters.org.uk/getNewsArticle.php?news_id=40 An email titled 'Geschäfts-Vorschlag!' all written in German was sent to a local business. The contents of the email were written in German and said "we have funds in a bank account belonging to a dead person which we would like to give you a share etc etc etc". http://www.crimematters.org.uk/getNewsArticle.php?40 http://www.crimematters.org.uk/getNewsArticle.php?news_id=42 Dear Sir / Madam, Please note that Your Halifax and Bank of Scotland Internet Banking Account is about to expire. In order for it to remain active, please use the link below to proceed and restore Your Account (Web address link inserted here on original email) Security Advisor Halifax and Bank of Scotland PLC http://www.crimematters.org.uk/getNewsArticle.php?42 http://www.crimematters.org.uk/getNewsArticle.php?news_id=43 You may receive a form from this body asking you to update your company profile to go into an on-line European business directory. They say the updating is free of charge and it implies that you already have an entry that needs updating. However if you read the small print at the bottom where it asks you to sign it clearly says that you will be signing a contract for 3 years with an annual subscription of Euro 980. http://www.crimematters.org.uk/getNewsArticle.php?43 http://www.crimematters.org.uk/getNewsArticle.php?news_id=44 * the British retail consortium suggests that retail crime costs every household in the UK and extra £90 each year on their shopping bills * 75% of retailers and 50% of manufacturers experienced at least one crime in the previous year, according to the Commercial Victimisation Survey (2002). * Overall, the risk of crime to retailers and manufacturers was lower comparing the results of the 2002 survey with those of the previous survey in 1994. * 75% were seriously worried about crime and the effect on their businesses A survey by the British Chambers of Commerce estimated that crime costs businesses £19 billion annually! http://www.crimematters.org.uk/getNewsArticle.php?44 http://www.crimematters.org.uk/getNewsArticle.php?news_id=45 Kent Police has rolled out hundreds of business intelligence "dashboards" to give its 6,500 officers a means of identifying and targeting crime outbreaks in their areas. http://www.crimematters.org.uk/getNewsArticle.php?45 http://www.crimematters.org.uk/getNewsArticle.php?news_id=46 Pilot surveys have shown they make up at least 20% - or "the forgotten fifth" - of all recorded crime. There is currently neither a national definition of crimes against business nor a national police performance indicator to ensure that the extent of this type of crime is specifically recognised and addressed by the police. After a consultation exercise in 2002, the Home Office set up a Business Crime team to co-ordinate the national response to business crime. http://www.crimematters.org.uk/getNewsArticle.php?46 http://www.crimematters.org.uk/getNewsArticle.php?news_id=41 A male claiming to be from a publishing company is contacting businesses & shops in the area by telephone, asking staff to advertise in a publication for the Police. He doesn?t offer a company name and the telephone number is withheld. These callers often state that it was a member of your staff who offered to place an advert in the publication, several months ago! http://www.crimematters.org.uk/getNewsArticle.php?41 http://www.crimematters.org.uk/getNewsArticle.php?news_id=39 Delivered items, which include letters, parcels, packages and anything delivered by post or courier, have been a commonly used terrorist device. A properly conducted risk assessment should give you a good idea of the likely threat to your organisation and indicate precautions you need to take. Delivered items may be explosive or incendiary. Anyone receiving a suspicious delivery is unlikely to know which type it is, so procedures should cater for every eventuality. A delivered item will probably have received fairly rough handling in the post and so is unlikely to detonate through being moved, but any attempt at opening it may set it off. Unless delivered by courier, it is unlikely to contain a timing device. Delivered items come in a variety of shapes and sizes; a well-made one will look innocuous but there may be tell-tale signs. http://www.crimematters.org.uk/getNewsArticle.php?39