Penrith Business Join Forces to Tackle Crime.

Business across Penrith are working together to tackle crime that impacts business across Penrith with the launch of two new initiatives this week.

Local PCSO from Cumbria Police have been visiting Penrith town centre businesses along with the local Volunteer Business Crime Manager to sign up business in the town to an app called Shop Safe.

Shop Safe is a platform where local businesses can share information on incidents of shoplifting in both the Penrith and Carlisle area in order to deter crime and disorder that impacts local businesses.

The app allows local businesses to communicate with each other and the local police.  Penrith shop watch also works with various different organisations via the Apex radio link in order to provide a deterrent against shoplifting and anti-social behaviour.

This week Penrith Industrial Bid that covers the town’s Industrial parks are also launching a new Business Watch scheme for all businesses on the Penrith Business Parks. 

The Industrial Bid are encouraging business on the town’s business parks to join in with the launch of the Business Watch and are holding a launch event at 2pm on Wednesday 10th January at Castletown Community Centre. The launch event will let businesses hear more about crime prevention in the area and how they can work collaboratively with the police to make it a success.

The Business Watch Launch event will feature a presentation by Andy Hunton, Crime Prevention Officer for Cumbria Police, on essential crime prevention information, along with details about site visits, distribution of posters, sign-up opportunities for a WhatsApp Group, and a demonstration of the SelectaDNA kit a property marker and spray contains a unique DNA code. These codes allow police to identify property and link criminals to the crime. The kit will be offered at no cost to businesses on the industrial estates.

The two initiatives come as Police data shows over the last 12 months Penrith has seen 163 cases of shoplifting along with 155 other cases of theft and burglary, 145 cases of Criminal damage and arson and 221 cases of anti-social behaviour.