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The concept of a retail crime reduction scheme in Birmingham City Centre was born in 1998 as a result of a serious increase in shop theft and a determination on behalf of the Local Authority, Retailers and Police to do something about it.
Numerous other Retail Crime Initiative Schemes had been set up in the Midlands area and found to be having a significant impact on the ability of thieves to steal from retail outlets.
The successes of these other schemes had made it imperative that Birmingham City Centre also adopted the same approach or there was a real danger that professional thieves would be displaced into central Birmingham and see it as a 'Soft Target'. Mr Brian Barker, a senior manager with Sainsbury’s, who was seconded to the Transportation Department of Birmingham City Council for a three-year period to assist with town centre management, implemented initial formation of the scheme. Work started on setting up the scheme towards the latter part of 1998. Numerous retailers were canvassed in the city centre during the early part of 1999 and an urgent need for a Crime Reducing Retail Crime Initiative was identified.
Following numerous meetings, Mr Barker was successful in securing funding for the first year from key retailers as follows:
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This funding was critical in the initial scheme set up.
APPOINTMENT OF SCHEME MANAGER
Following a process of consultation with the retailers, a forum was set up and the position of Scheme Manager to run the scheme advertised. Following numerous interviews, Mr Chris James, a retired Detective Sergeant from the West Midlands Police, was appointed and incorporated under Citywatch Ltd. He commenced work on 14th June 1999.
OFFICE ACCOMMODATION
Arrangements were made for the Scheme Manager to share Mr Barker’s office at the City Centre Managers Office in Essex House, Temple Street, Birmingham, although the conditions were very cramped, the contacts made with retailers in the city centre through this department were paramount in the early success of the scheme. This situation remained until Tuesday 21st September 1999 following a generous offer from Rackhams, the R.C.O. office was moved to the 5th floor at Rackhams in Corporation Street, although liaison with the Town Centre Manager continued.
COMPUTER
Birmingham City Council, through the Transportation Department, generously provided a computer and necessary software in order to assist with the running of the scheme.
BUILDING THE SCHEME
The scheme became known as the Birmingham City Centre Retail Crime Operation (R.C.O. for short) and set about building membership and gathering data on active shop thieves. Membership grew from just a handful of interested parties to its present day membership and has a monthly distribution of 'Excluded Person' and 'Repeat Offender' photographs to a total of over 800 premises, all of which enjoy the protection of the 'Exclusion Orders' Scheme.
CRIME REDUCTION ACHIEVEMENT
Since the scheme commenced, there has been a serious reduction in both retail crime and car park crime. Full details can be found on the 'Facts and Figures' page.
THE FUTURE
The RCO continues to grow and the Steering Committee are now looking at taking on more help, which in turn will improve the quality of service to its members.
LIMITED COMPANY
In order to deal with the ever-increasing membership and expansion of the scheme, it was decided by the Steering Committee that the best option was to make the scheme into a Limited Company.
Professional advice was sought from various sources and all agreed that this was the best option to take.
The Limited Company was formed at the beginning of April 2001 and new staff engaged to assist in the running of the scheme.
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FORMATION OF THE SCHEME