A MESSAGE and BUSINESS CRIME SURVEY from

David Sidwick your Prospective Conservative Candidate for Dorset's Police and Crime Commissioner:

One of my passions is to ensure that we improve what we do around the prevention and dealing with business crime. So I have launched a business crime survey - Why do I care about this specifically?

Having worked across a number of business sectors, I understand the anxiety around business crime issues and how it can affect more than just the bottom line.

First job was working in my father’s off-licence (Retail), then in a pub and a hotel (Hospitality), a coach company (Transport) then a pharmaceutical company (Big Pharma/Manufacturing), a health knowledge management company (Digital), another healthcare company (Supplier) and my own company (Consultancy) – I have had the experience on a Monday morning going into our office, finding the door stoved in and finding all of our eight laptops nicked.

Since March 2018 when I started campaigning full-time - these past experiences have meant that I have taken a special interest in business crime.

I have a childhood memory of my uncle becoming incandescent when the keys were left in the tractor. Machinery and vehicle theft is still the number one concern.  I have spent time with farmers and country businesses discussing their issues and I am aware that rural crime in Dorset is on the increase. Last year rural crime cost over £881939 and grew by 28.7% - This can be better.

Recently I have spoken to one of Dorset’s largest retailers and also a small post office – both were suffering from a spate of shoplifting. In 2019 £4.8 Billion was lost to retailers through crime and in the latest retail crime survey there were 424 incidents of violence or abuse every single day. Working in a shop should not be dangerous – This can be better.

This has also meant discussions with businesses, BIDs and Chambers of Trade across Dorset.

It does not matter what your business is - whether rural or urban / large or small I want to hear from you, your experiences and how you feel things could be improved.

Please take my BUSINESS CRIME SURVEY by CLICKING HERE

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