Why Local Crime is Getting Smarter — and How BCRPs Can Stay One Step Ahead

Today’s retail crime isn’t just opportunistic — it’s coordinated, mobile, and increasingly aggressive.

With frontline police resources stretched and shoplifting spiralling out of control, Business Crime Reduction Partnerships (BCRPs) are stepping up as the agile local response. But to keep pace with smarter offenders, they need smarter intelligence tools.

Here’s why — and how they can stay ahead.

Organised Retail Offending Is on the Rise

Retail theft has evolved. What was once viewed as petty shoplifting is now often part of organised offending. Small groups target multiple stores in a single day, using distraction techniques and working to order. According to recent figures, retail theft has reached record levels, with over 20 million shoplifting incidents in the UK and an estimated annual loss of £2.2 billion in 2023–24 (Financial Times).

These aren’t isolated incidents — they’re coordinated operations that impact businesses daily. To counter this, BCRPs must enable businesses to act collectively. That starts with the ability to share offender details quickly and securely, issue alerts, and build intelligence on repeat activity. Platforms like Disc allow members to upload and view images, receive instant alerts, and contribute to a shared intelligence base that strengthens community resilience.

Travelling Offenders Are Exploiting Gaps Between Areas

Criminals are increasingly mobile, targeting vulnerable locations and moving between towns to avoid detection. Market towns and smaller business districts are especially at risk, with many facing limited police presence. A recent report highlighted how offenders exploit transport links to carry out thefts in areas they perceive as softer targets (The Times).

BCRPs need systems that support intelligence sharing across geographic boundaries. Disc allows alerts and offender records to follow the individual, not just the location. Businesses in one town can be warned in real time about offenders active elsewhere, helping them prepare and prevent incidents before they escalate.

Anti-Social Behaviour and Violence Are Now Everyday Threats

The scale of anti-social behaviour (ASB) and violence against retail staff is also escalating. Verbal abuse and physical assaults have become part of the daily experience for many in frontline retail roles. According to industry data, there are now over 2,000 violent or abusive incidents against shopworkers every day — up from 1,300 just a year ago (Financial Times).

This growing threat affects morale, staff retention, and customer confidence. For BCRPs, it’s no longer just about protecting stock — it’s about safeguarding people. Effective intelligence tools make it easier to report and share incidents quickly. In Disc, ASB reports can be logged in real time, with alerts sent to neighbouring businesses and security teams to raise awareness and improve coordination.

Intelligence-Led Prevention Is the Future

As local crime becomes more sophisticated, the response must also evolve. BCRPs are moving from reactive to proactive models, using data and shared insight to identify patterns and take action. Tools like Disc support this shift by making it simple to log incidents, distribute intelligence, and monitor trends over time.

Disc provides a full intelligence toolkit in one place. Members can issue alerts, contribute photos and descriptions, manage exclusion schemes, and access structured offender galleries. For administrators and partners, built-in analytics offer insights into repeat offenders, hotspot locations, and user engagement — helping to drive informed decision-making. Importantly, all of this is managed within a GDPR-compliant framework, supporting confident collaboration between businesses, local authorities, and police.

How BCRPs Can Stay One Step Ahead

To stay ahead of modern crime trends, BCRPs need to make the most of their intelligence networks. That includes:

• Encouraging members to report incidents with detail, especially images and descriptions.
• Enabling cross-area intelligence sharing, so alerts are not confined to a single postcode.
• Involving councils and police in secure, structured information flows.
• Monitoring user engagement and crime trends using analytics tools to guide strategy.

Disc is designed to make these tasks straightforward. It supports BCRPs to act faster, share more securely, and measure what matters — helping them protect their members more effectively.

Local crime is evolving — but so are the partnerships tackling it. With the right tools and a proactive approach, BCRPs can outpace organised offenders, support frontline staff, and make town centres safer for everyone.

If you want to find out how Disc can help your BID or BCRP stay one step ahead, get in touch with us today.