Business and Cyber Crime are two areas that have become increasingly problematic not just locally but on a global scale. Along with the traditional threats, businesses must now contend with the invisible threat to their online activity as well.
According to Warwickshire Police and the National Police Chiefs’ Council, business crime is defined as:
“Any criminal offence that is committed against a person or property that is motivated by the connection of that person or property to a business.”
Business crime features as a priority for Warwickshire Police and Crime Commissioner. In the last 2 years there has been a decrease in the numbers of business related crimes, from an average of just under 553 business crime offences per month in 2016, to an average of 300 offences per month in the last 12 months (October 2017 – September 2018) across the whole of Warwickshire, and still decreasing.
It is acknowledged by Warwickshire Community Safety Partnership (CSP) as a cross-cutting theme within their CSP priorities.
“I am truly pleased that the team has been able to achieve an important part of this journey and I will continue to drive forward a collaborative approach to addressing business crime across Warwickshire.”
– Bogdan Fironda, Business Crime Advisor
When it comes to cyber-crime, there are a variety of definitions that have been constructed and still some debate over a definition of substance. Warwickshire Police’s definition suggests that:
“An offence should be flagged as cyber-enabled where the reporting officer believes that on the balance of probability, the offence was committed, in full or in part, through a computer, computer network or other computer enabled device.”
Cybercrime is an umbrella term used to describe two closely linked, but distinct ranges of criminal activity. The Government’s National Cyber Security Strategy 2016-2021 defines them as follows:
- Cyber-dependent crimes– crimes that can be committed only through the use of Information and Communications Technology (ICT) devices, where the devices are both the tool for committing the crime, and the target rolex yacht master 40mm uomo 16628blso rolex calibre 2836 2813 automatico of the crime (e.g. developing and propagating malware for financial gain, hacking to steal, damage, distort or destroy data and/or network or activity).
2. Cyber-enabled crimes– traditional crimes which can be increased in scale or reach by the use of computers, computer networks or other forms of ICT (such as cyber-enabled fraud and data theft).
For information on Cyber Crime please click here.
The aims of the Business Watch Project include:
–
To identify and promote effective techniques for successfully engaging business communities to enable them to become more self-resilient in preventing and deterring crime.
*
To gain the confidence of the public to report crimes to the police and other organisations, establish a true picture of business crime and ultimately reduce crime and the fear of crime.
*
To develop and support Business Watch website for Warwickshire business community, providing information and advice on business related crime; Twitter account is also set up.
*
To work with partner agencies to increase membership in our business communities.
*
To develop a Countywide Business Watch Scheme using best practice enabling information to be circulated to members.
*
To support Police Safer Neighbourhood Team staff in the business areas by providing training and tool kits for them to use.
–
Warwickshire County Council have a Business Crime Advisor in post who is funded through the Police and Crime Commissioner and who will be developing training packages, resources and acting as a single point of contact for businesses regarding business and cyber crime across Warwickshire.
More advice could be found on Traditional, Cyber and Seasonal Crime pages. The downloadable PDF documents provide a useful guide on how to keep yourself and your business safe.