Robust response to keep businesses safe in Scarborough and across North Yorkshire

Next week, four days of action will be held across the force area – in Scarborough, Northallerton and two in York.

Each Safer Business Action (SaBA) Day will see North Yorkshire Police deploy extra resources alongside retailers and partners to clamp down on criminals who target shops, restaurants and other businesses.

They will be run with the support of the National Business Crime Centre.

Detective Inspector Ryan Chapman, of North Yorkshire Police, said: “Businesses support our communities by providing employment and leisure, and offences against them can have a really significant financial impact on people’s livelihoods, not to mention the impact on staff fearing crime and violence.

“That’s precisely why it’s so important that we work alongside our partners and listen to local businesses – it means we can take action to stop businesses being targeted in the first place, and bring offenders to justice.

“The fact that these Safer Business Action Days are being held across York and North Yorkshire shows how seriously we take this type of crime, and gives us an opportunity to highlight the work we are doing to tackle the issue.

“These days aren’t just a one-off. Our Neighbourhood Policing Teams will continue to work closely with businesses to reduce the impact of this type of crime.”

Safer Business Action Days will take place in Scarborough on March 18, Northallerton on March 19 and York on March 20 and 21.

Details about the specific activity going on for each of these events will be shared on the local police team social media accounts.

Superintendent Patrick Holdaway of the National Business Crime Centre said: “Violence and abuse against shop workers is never acceptable.

"The National Business Crime Centre have been working with key stakeholders in police, retail, business crime reduction partnerships, business improvement districts and security providers to deliver a series of ‘Safer Business Action Days’ to support the National Shopkind campaign to protect shop workers, and deter, disrupt and detain persistent and prolific offenders.”

We will always treat retail crime seriously, in particular when a crime is in progress, and there is the use or threat of violence, injury or damage, and we will pursue all reasonable lines of enquiry to help identify suspects, including obtaining CCTV footage and statements from eyewitnesses. (In 2023, we published 131 appeals featuring CCTV of people they wanted to speak to in connection with shoplifting and similar offences).

We encourage all business owners to follow the crime prevention guides on our website.

These include tips on how to spot a shoplifter, prevent diners leaving without paying, deter burglars, and protect against vandalism.