Mitie and the University of Cambridge team-up to fight retail crime

• Mitie has partnered with University of Cambridge criminologists to undertake cutting-edge research into retail crime to help businesses reduce cases of theft and violence against shopworkers
• The partnership is the first of its kind in the UK and is part of Mitie’s commitment to work with public and private sectors organisations to fight crime
• With retail crime rising across the UK, the initiative will help keep shopworkers and customers safe

Mitie has joined forces with the University of Cambridge’s Institute of Criminology, 世界领先的犯罪学研究机构之一, 这是一项开创性的合作研究零售犯罪, 包括偷窃和对店员施暴. The innovative research will focus on how businesses can leverage 科技nology, such as remotely monitored CCTV and real-time security alerts for shopworkers, in combination with 安全 Officers on the ground to reduce retail crime. The initiative is the first of its kind in the UK and demonstrates Mitie’s commitment to work with public and private sector organisations to help keep the nation safe.

The partnership will see Mitie provide University of Cambridge criminologists with access to anonymous crime data – such as details on thefts and incidents of violence against shopworkers – on behalf of national retail customers, 共享英国各地门店的信息. 研究小组将利用这些信息, alongside data on the number of 安全 Officers and 科技nology solutions available at each store, to test if a change in the blend of on-site 安全 Officers and 科技nology can help reduce crime. Data, 包括盗窃和暴力事件, will be recorded following each change to determine if there’s a correlation between that and the number of crimes.

The research will also analyse the impact of these different combinations of security solutions with other factors, 比如一天的时间或者商店的位置. 例如, this can include increasing the number of 安全 Officers in stores at times of the day when thefts are more likely or installing more CCTV cameras in sites with low foot-traffic. The University’s team of researchers will then analyse all of this data to identify trends and new opportunities for Mitie to improve its support for customers.

University of Cambridge criminologists will publish the results to create the first evidence-based approach to retail crime. This will then be available to Police Forces and other organisations in the retail and security industries. 虽然这项研究最初将集中在一家连锁超市, over time more of Mitie’s national retail customers will be invited to participate in the initiative.

Mitie商业澳博官方网站董事总经理Jason Towse表示:

“Once again we’re leading the 行业 with a unique security partnership to help fight crime across the UK. 我们很荣幸能与剑桥大学合作, 哪个学校有世界领先的犯罪学研究所, to develop this data-driven approach to help us stay one step ahead of the criminals targeting our high streets. 随着零售犯罪和针对店员的暴力事件不断上升, 这项研究将是留住客户的关键, 人民和社区安全.”  

Dr Matthew Bland, Lecturer in Evidence Based Policing, University of Cambridge, said:

“The Institute of Criminology at Cambridge has a long history of working with crime fighting organisations all over the world, to develop the evidence about what works and what doesn’t in reducing harm. We are excited to be able to continue this work by testing innovations in retail security and look forward to sharing our findings with the wider Evidence-Based Policing community in due course”.

The partnership will be underpinned by Mitie’s Global 安全 Operations (GSO) service, 其技术和智能主导的安全解决方案, and is part of Mitie’s efforts to work with public and private sector organisations to help fight crime across the UK. 例如, Mitie partnered with independent charity Crimestoppers to share information on criminal behaviour gathered by businesses to support police investigations. 作为计划的一部分, Mitie and Crimestoppers have launched a report highlighting the key factors and trends driving retail crime and inviting people to anonymously share any information on criminal activity in retail stores.