Armagh City, Banbridge and Craigavon PCSP recently hosted a successful Tackling Retail Crime Business Breakfast at Craigavon Civic Centre, bringing together retailers, businesses and partner agencies to discuss the growing challenges of retail crime and identify practical solutions.
Representatives attended from major retailers including Tesco, Currys, Gordons Chemist, and The Henderson Group, alongside a range of independent retailers and local businesses from across the borough.
The event provided a valuable opportunity for retailers to network, share experiences and hear directly from industry experts and policing partners. The programme included an overview from Superintendent Pete Cunningham, PSNI on current retail crime trends and challenges, highlighting emerging issues affecting the retail sector and the importance of partnership working in tackling crime.
Constable Ross Thompson from Banbridge Neighbourhood Policing Team gave an overview of the Safe Shop Scheme which outlined how businesses can work collaboratively with police and other partners to improve information sharing and enhance safety.
Attendees also heard from Chris Wynne of Danske Bank, who delivered a session on fraud and scam prevention, providing practical advice to help businesses protect themselves from increasingly sophisticated scams and criminal activity. This was followed by an engaging Bystander Training session delivered by Michael Avila of Avila Media, equipping participants with the confidence and skills to safely respond to challenging situations in the workplace.
Chair of Armagh City, Banbridge and Craigavon PCSP, Councillor Jessica Johnston said: “Retail crime is a challenge that no business should have to face alone. This event highlighted the value of partnership working and information sharing in helping to prevent crime, support staff and improve safety for businesses across our borough. It was encouraging to see such strong engagement from retailers and partner organisations committed to finding solutions together.”
Feedback from attendees was overwhelmingly positive, with participants describing the event as ‘really interesting and informative’, ‘well organised’, and praising the quality of the speakers and practical information shared. Attendees also reported increased awareness of the issues discussed and greater confidence in reporting crime and concerns to the police.
