Safer Business Action Day Cardiff took place on 7th March 2024 as part of the National Business Crime Centre Safer Business Action (SaBa) Month.

Safer Business Action (SaBA) Days are a joint approach by police, business, private security, Business Crime Reduction Partnerships (BCRPs) and Business Improvement Districts (BIDs) working in partnership to focus resources into a designated location to create a significant impact to reduce crime.

Cardiff Against Business Crime, South Wales Police, British Transport Police and the Cardiff Council Warden Team coordinated resources and businesses arranged additional security cover for the day.

The team was comprised of three special constables, police response officers from on duty teams, the Cardiff City Centre Neighbourhood Policing Team police constables and Police Community Support Officers (PCSO’s) who provided high visibility patrols and visited stores before and during the day to brief staff.

This was supplemented by plain clothes officers who were deployed to the main shopping areas.

While uniformed staff and the Cardiff Council’s City Centre Warden Team focused on areas considered to be anti social behaviour hotspots.

Six arrests were made including a prolific shoplifting offender. There were 56 stop and accounts and 136 educational engagement with staff and members of the public.

Feedback on the day was positive and it was felt the high profile action day had reassured store staff their customers and visitors to the city centre.

Cliff Vanstone the Chair of Cardiff Against Business Crime and Head of Branch at John Lewis & Partners Cardiff said:

I am grateful to our partners in the Police and Council and to the security staff of our member businesses for taking part in the operation. It demonstrates how effective we can be in driving down retail crime when we coordinate our efforts.

I look forward to the next operation and commend the efforts of the partners day to day as we continue to make sure Cardiff is a safe place to shop visit live and spend leisure time.

The annual Safer Action Business Day takes place in October and plans are in place to deliver another partnership crime reduction operation.

To find out more about Cardiff Against Business Crime please email ian@forcardiff.com