Stirling businesses urged to attend briefing sharing shoplifting intel on city streets

GFS Project Director Danielle McRorie-Smith with Gary Turnbull from the Thistles Centre and Stephanie Karte from Retailers Against Crime
-Credit:Reach Publishing Services Limited


Business owners across Stirling have been invited to an intelligence briefing aimed at sharing the latest attempts to crackdown on shoplifting in the city.

The meeting is being hosted by Retailers Against Crime (RAC) and Go Forth Stirling Business Improvement District (BID) and will cover details including active shoplifting suspects, crime trends and footage of recent efforts to commit crime in Stirling.

It will also offer valuable insights into the SentrySIS crime-fighting tool which is currently being used by several businesses in the city to tackle antisocial behaviour and share criminal trends.

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The software system, which is provided free to BID members, allows users to share real-time information and alerts about thefts and other crimes happening in Stirling and has been successful in tracking down the culprits of a number of offences.

Stephanie Karté, National Operations Manager at RAC, said: “With retail crime losses, violent altercations within retail premises and antisocial behaviour soaring, it is now, more than ever, imperative that we work together to tackle this epidemic.

“The information shared at the RAC Intelligence Briefing will help build stronger knowledge of retail crime trends and how to combat them.

“I urge all businesses to attend as by working together in partnership and encouraging community spirit we can all play a massive part in making Stirling a safer place to visit.”

The meeting will take place at the WorKing Flexispaces building on King Street at 10am on January 21 – with BID chiefs hoping that more businesses operating in the city will take up the opportunity of free RAC membership and usage of the SentrySIS system.

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Project Director Danielle McRorie-Smith said: “We began subsidising RAC membership for our levy payers three years ago after receiving complaints about antisocial behaviour from traders.

“Since then, use of the SentrySIS scheme has grown substantially as more businesses have signed up and it really is a key tool in identifying people involved in crime and allowing retailers to warn each other about real-time issues and offenders.

“The more traders who use the reporting system the more effective it will be and we are keen to see more independent businesses join the programme.”

Go Forth subsidises the cost of RAC membership to all levy-paying and voluntary BID members giving them access to the SentrySIS (Secure Intelligence System) platform to report crime, receive alerts about criminal activity in the area and create evidence logs to help police detect offences.

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Ms McRorie-Smith added: “I hope to see BID members come along to the briefing next week to find out more about the kind of crimes which are happening in Stirling and learn how they can help tackle shoplifting and other antisocial behaviour.”

Anyone who plans to attend the briefing is asked to confirm their attendance by email to info@retailersagainstcrime.org.