The festive season is a busy time for retail staff where they face rising levels of abuse.
The National Business Crime Centre (NBCC) have a series of free shopworker training videos. See also our recommended free courses page.
- disruptive and antisocial behaviour
- Saying No
- Dealing and interacting with suspected thieves
- Personal safety and de-escalation.
- link to course
- Shopworker safety guidance section
New approach to data sharing will help to tackle retail crime
The National Business Crime Centre (NBCC) have launched a landmark data sharing process to enable police to share information on retail crime activity, trends and offenders with key crime prevention partners and retailers.
Free retailers crime prevention toolkit
The NBCC have put together a detailed guide for policing and partners about what data can be shared, what shouldn’t be shared, what constitutes a policing purpose, other considerations and what forms need to be completed to ensure the sharing of any data is legally compliant.
To download the guidance and forms visit the NBCC website:
Read more on the NBCC website
The Tackling Retail Crime Together strategy was launched on July 14th by the then Policing Minister, Dame Diana Johnson.
The NBCC launched the Tackling Retail Crime Together campaign to raise awareness, share practical tools and support stronger partnerships between police, businesses, and local communities.
Retail crime has reached record levels, and its impact goes far beyond lost stock or financial loss. Shopworkers, security staff, and business owners are being abused, threatened, and assaulted often in the same communities they live in.
From organised criminal gangs exploiting vulnerable people to fund illegal activity, to prolific offenders and opportunists who steal without fear of consequences, the motivations behind retail crime are complex and varied.
Together, we can break the cycle of offending and help make retail safer for everyone.
To view the strategy and branding toolkits please visit:
Home – Tackling Retail Crime Together
Safer Business Action — National week of action November 10th 2025
The National Business Crime Centre (NBCC) has confirmed that the 2025 Safer Business Action (SaBA) Week will take place on Monday November 10th as part of the ongoing police and partnership response to tackling retail crime, Anti-social behaviour and other crimes impacting businesses in local communities.
Last year the SaBA Week resulted in over 750 arrests across the country. Police and partners held over 640 SaBA days and events involving more than 3,400 police officers and PCSOs.
The NBCC is asking for each police force and all businesses to support the week of action and provide the NBCC with photos, good news stories and engagement activity across your area.
Tower Hamlets Crime Watch certainly supports all our businesses please get in touch for support needed.
Connect with the National Business Crime Centre and subscribe to their mailing list in their website.
Whilst there are plans to widen the area of safety in Whitechapel, my long standing campaign of better business protection has finally matured.
Tower Hamlets Council is funding free membership in the
Safer Business Network
for 50 businesses within their Whitechapel area catchment area.
This membership includes important use of protective communications systems like the ShopSafeAlert app. Contact them for details We understand their representatives currently visit Whitechapel businesses to work with them.
Other businesses are welcome to join the SBN with paid membership.
The SBN also provides the training for the
‘Ask for Angela’ and WAVE
champions training, which is free for all licensed businesses and their staff.
Consultation
I participated in a Tower Hamlets Council consultation with Community leaders, Tower Hamlets Police’s Detective Superintendent Vicky Tunstall and Councillors and recommendations were produce to be presented to the Overview and Scrutiny Committee meeting on 11. June 2025. Whilst this was a Hate Crime focused consultation, the recommendation of better training for licensed businesses is significant to for businesses.
Tower Hamlets Crime Watch 