Update on the implementation of the Construction Contracts Act 2013
December 1, 2015
As anxiety about the incidence of crime intensifies throughout rural Ireland, builders merchants and hardware retailers are not immune to rising concerns about break-ins, burglaries and theft. Sergeant John Crosse, National Crime Prevention Officer with An Garda Síochána, speaks to The Hardware Journal about the Garda strategy to deal with retail crime and offers some tips on crime prevention measures for builders merchants and hardware retailers.
Sgt Crosse encourages builders merchants and hardware retailers to get involved with Business Watch, a crime prevention programme designed by An Garda Síochána. He says: “It is founded on the same principles as Neighbourhood Watch. The only difference being that this scheme focuses on the business community. It starts from the premise that you and your neighbours in business can play a vital role in the fight to prevent losses to the business community and society caused by crime.”
Business Watch in action
The size, location and population of a business centre, coupled with the problems particular to the location, dictate the form a Business Watch Scheme will take. Regardless of the form taken by a scheme, members of each scheme will share common activities, Sgt Crosse says. Members’ key activities include:
- being on the lookout for crime or any suspicious situation;
- reporting what they see or suspect immediately to the Gardaí and other members of Business Watch; and,
- working closely with local Gardaí to ensure their premises are secure.
To find out more about Business Watch, go to: the Members’ Area of the HAI website and our E-Learning platform to find this document. Contact Amanda on 01 2980969 for more details.
Update – December 2017 – You can find information about the Business Watch Programme here.
Preventing burglary
Sgt Crosse has some important tips on burglary and vandalism prevention: “The physical protection of a retail premises from burglary and vandalism follows the crime prevention principle of ‘protect from the perimeter inwards’.”
Key actions that may be considered, according to Sgt Crosse, include:
- premises should remain well-illuminated after closing;
- an intruder alarm system to standard (EN 50131) should be installed and connected to an approved monitoring station to standard (IS 228/97); and,
- CCTV cameras should be strategically positioned, in line with operational requirements.
The above are initial suggestions but Sgt Crosse urges builders merchants and hardware retailers to go to the Members’ Area of the HAI website and our E-Learning platform to find the Retail Recurity Guide, which he describes as ‘the security bible’ for owners of builders merchant and hardware stores. Contact Amanda on 01 298 0969 for more details.
Update – December 2017 – You can find information about the Retail Security Guide here.
CRIME PREVENTION DAY OF ACTION, DECEMBER 8TH
A Crime Prevention Day of Action is scheduled for December 8th and is intended to coincide with the busy pre-Christmas period, traditionally a high risk period for retail crime including internal and external theft, card fraud and issues relating to increased cash handling etc. A range of events are being organised around the country involving Garda Crime Prevention Officers. Visit www.garda.ie for more information.
THE NATIONAL RETAIL THEFT FORUM
The main objective of this Forum is to get stakeholders and An Garda Síochána “working together to reduce the opportunity for retail theft and fraud”. Bi-annual meetings are held with stakeholders on issues surrounding retail theft and fraud.
The establishment of the Forum was one of the outcomes of An Garda Síochána’s Theft from Shops: Crime Prevention & Reduction Strategy. For details of the strategy go to: the Members’ Area of the HAI website and our E-Learning platform to find this document. Contact Amanda on 01 298 0969 for more details HAI will represent the concerns of builder merchants and hardware stores at the Forum.
INCREASES IN THEFT FROM SHOP OFFENCES AND BURGLARY
CSO stats for burglary and theft for the 12-month period up to the end of Quarter 2, 2015. There were 28,830 recorded burglary and related offences in the 12-month period ending in Q2 2015, representing an increase of 2,241 (+8.4%) when compared with the corresponding period ending in 2014. Comparing the same periods, aggravated burglary offences rose by 1.6% while recorded burglary (not aggravated) offences increased very slightly, from 25,619 to 27,890. Possession of an article (with intent to burgle, steal, demand) offences decreased by 5.3% to 625. In the 12-month period ending in Q2 2015, theft and related offences rose by 1.8% to 78,885. When considering the subgroups, recorded theft from person offences decreased by 22.6% to 5,019, and theft from shop rose 11.2% to 22,493.
The CSO resumed the publication of recorded crime statistics in June 2015 following the Garda Inspectorate report on Crime Investigation. When interpreting the statistics, the CSO advises that the findings of the review should be taken into account (see www.cso.ie/en/media/csoie/releasespublications/documents/crimejustice/2015/reviewofcrime.pdf)
This Business Support article featured in the November/December 2015 edition of The Hardware Journal.
