Reporting a crime

It is vital that businesses report crime to the Police if they do fall victim to criminal activity. Police Forces around Wales rely on the intelligence provided by members of the public to fight crime. 

If a crime goes unreported, the perpetrator will believe that he or she can get away with doing it again. Further to this, without a report, there will be no investigation. Without an investigation, the chances of catching the perpetrator becomes very small. Investigations might be seen as an inconvenience to businesses but if an investigation isn’t carried out, the criminal might believe that he can come back. 

Another consideration for businesses is the impact of the crime on the wider business community. If one business fails to report the crime to the police, this could put other businesses in the area at risk.

Criminals prey upon people’s weaknesses and if a business shows weakness, not reporting a crime for example, then the criminals will look at other businesses in the area as targets. The Broken Windows theory suggests that if a building has a few broken windows, and they are left unrepaired, the vandals may come back to break a few more windows. 

This can then lead to the deterioration of the local area. The broken windows theory expresses that the broken windows can lead to squatters and even crime away from the premises such as theft from cars. If premises are left damaged, it normalises the presence of such damage meaning other criminals see it as a soft target. In terms of a neighbourhood, or the local area, it can lead to a reluctance for businesses to enter the area due to damage to other properties. Staff and workers may also lose confidence in the area and will feel less comfortable in attending work.