On The Road with the NBCC Team in August 2026

While many may associate this time of year with a slower pace, the National Business Crime Centre (NBCC) Team has remained actively engaged across the country, working alongside retailers, policing partners, Business Improvement Districts (BIDs), and Business Crime Reduction Partnerships (BCRPs) to strengthen prevention efforts and support safer retail environments.

One of the most encouraging aspects of our recent work has been the opportunity to see first-hand the outstanding collaboration taking place within local communities and celebrating partnership in action.

Lisa recently visited the Business Improvement Districts in Peterborough and Gravesham, where partners are demonstrating the vital role that local collaboration plays in tackling retail crime, shop theft, and anti-social behaviour. These organisations continue to provide invaluable support to retailers, police, and wider community stakeholders by creating vibrant, welcoming town centres while coordinating intelligence and information-sharing to identify and address those individuals causing the greatest harm.

Their work serves as a powerful reminder that prevention is most effective when businesses, law enforcement, and community organisations work together with a shared purpose.

Effective prevention begins with understanding the scale and nature of offending, making accurate and accessible crime reporting essential. The NBCC continues to support the Police Digital Public Contact Programme in the development of a bespoke online crime reporting solution designed specifically to meet the needs of businesses and retailers. The team has participated in a series of consultation meetings involving police forces and retail crime reporting platform providers to help shape a system that delivers meaningful benefits for frontline users.

Engagement with retailers and other industry stakeholders will follow in the coming weeks, ensuring that the voices of those most affected by retail crime remain central to the development process. By working collaboratively, we can create reporting mechanisms that improve intelligence gathering, support investigations, and ultimately drive more effective prevention activity.

Understanding both offender behaviour and innovative responses to retail crime remains a key part of developing effective prevention strategies.

Rach has been working closely with a number of Police and Crime Commissioners and Police Forces to discuss drug and alcohol diversion programmes, exploring how early intervention can help address some of the underlying factors contributing to offending behaviour but also offering a pathway to a new life away from shop theft.

She also visited Eastbourne to learn more about Sussex Police's innovative offender-tagging initiative, which is being used as part of a broader effort to tackle persistent shop theft. Initiatives such as these provide valuable opportunities for policing and retail partners to share learning and identify approaches that can be adapted elsewhere.

The NBCC also recently hosted another successful Knowledge Series event, bringing together retailers and policing partners for an open and informative discussion. Attendees heard from James, a reformed shoplifter from Nottinghamshire, who provided a candid insight into his offending history, explaining both why he offended and how he committed retail crime. Hearing directly from individuals with lived experience offers a unique perspective that can help retailers and security professionals better understand offender tactics, vulnerabilities within retail environments, and opportunities for prevention.

Planning is already underway for this year's Safer Business Action (SaBA) Week, which will commence on Monday 9 November. SaBA Week continues to demonstrate the strength of partnership working, bringing together police, retailers, private security providers, BCRPs, BIDs, local authorities, and other stakeholders to focus resources within designated locations.

These coordinated operations deliver far more than enforcement outcomes. They provide opportunities to engage businesses, raise awareness, strengthen local networks, share intelligence, and reinforce prevention activity. By concentrating collective efforts, partners can create visible, lasting impact and contribute to safer and more resilient business communities. Prevention is not solely about reducing crime; it is also about creating environments where people feel safe, supported, and connected. We encourage all partners to begin considering how they can contribute to and support this year's activities.

Rach has been working closely with Safe Havens to explore opportunities for developing a wider network of safe spaces within retail areas. These locations can provide a place of refuge for individuals who may be vulnerable, distressed, lost, or otherwise in need of help and support. By embedding these safe spaces within our retail communities, we strengthen the role that businesses play in safeguarding the public while fostering even closer partnerships between retailers, community organisations, and local services.

Across every project, visit, and initiative, one theme remains constant: partnership is the foundation of prevention. Whether improving reporting processes, sharing intelligence, supporting diversion programmes, creating safer spaces, or planning coordinated action weeks, meaningful progress is achieved when we work together.

The NBCC would like to thank all our partners for their continued commitment, innovation, and collaboration in making our retail environments safer for businesses, employees, customers, and communities alike.

Together, we can continue to move beyond simply responding to retail crime and focus on preventing harm before it occurs.