Tackling retail crime with Retailers Against Crime campaign
RETAIL crime partnership Retailers Against Crime (RAC) has launched a new community awareness campaign to help identify in-store crime across the UK.
The new national campaign aims to raise public awareness of criminal techniques and behaviours through the new ‘Retail Crime Techniques: A Community Awareness Guide’, which can be accessed through JCDecaux communication hub screens seen across the UK.
The campaign was launched in Glasgow’s city centre, where the publication features across advertising screens in busy shopping locations including Buchanan Street, before it was rolled out nationally.
Consumers can access the guide via a QR code seen across the marketing and will highlight how criminal techniques may put members of the public in danger and how shoppers can identify the different methods that criminals employ. This includes distraction theft, counterfeit gift card scams, ATM fraud, compensation scams and impersonation scams.
Not only does the guide offer practical advise on how to recognise warning signs of these crimes, it also provides the public with support on how to protect themselves and reduce their risk on becoming a victim of crime.
Stephanie Karté, chief executive at RAC, said: “At Retailers Against Crime, we are passionate about helping people stay safer. If this guide helps even one person recognise the warning signs of crime or avoid becoming a victim, then it has made a real difference. Together, we can raise awareness, encourage vigilance and help create safer communities for everyone.”
The initiative has been launched in partnership with the JCDecaux Community Channel which supports charities and not-for-profits advertising through its public digital screens. Units feature large digital screen adverts on one side and paired with a smaller interactive touchscreen and public defibrillator on the other.
Mike MacLennan, partnerships manager at JCDecaux, said: “The campaign fits perfectly with our ethos at JCDecaux of giving back to the community and the information in the guide provides a real benefit for everyone we partner with.
“We heard about the excellent work carried out by RAC to combat and increase awareness of retail crime and we were keen to play a part in supporting this and sharing their message.”
Additionally, Police Scotland’s Retail Crime Taskforce has backed the project as Sergeant Ross McBurney has called it a “helpful guide for community awareness around safety whilst shopping”.
He said: “This measure can help make our towns, cities and shopping centres safer places for the communities of Scotland.”
