UK COMPUTER THEFT AT BUSINESSES ON THE RISEGuardian Unlimited | The Guardian | Offices targeted in business crimewaveOffices targeted in business crimewave

Patrick Collinson
Wednesday September 8, 2004
The Guardian

Offices and business premises are suffering an unprecedented crimewave of computer theft, arson and malicious damage, insurance group Axa said yesterday.
Worst at risk are companies in business parks and small industrial units which are deserted at weekends and where break-ins have become rife, said Axa. It reported a 19% increase in business crime in the second quarter of 2004 compared with a year earlier.

The business crimewave is in stark contrast to residential burglary, which has fallen dramatically over the past decade.

Violent crime against employees - such as attacks on staff who handle cash - is still rare, accounting for less than 1% of all business insurance claims, but Axa none the less noted that: "There has been a worrying rise in incidences."

It named Bradford as the city with the worst incidence of business crime, followed by Birmingham and Nottingham.

The cities with the lowest incidence of business crime contain some unexpected names. Liverpool is highlighted by Axa as having the lowest rate of business crime in Britain, followed not far behind by Glasgow. "The fact they make fewer claims may be because businesses there have already put in place more advanced measures to protect their premises," said Axa property insurance manager Neil Mercier.

Thefts from businesses - almost exclusively cash, computers and other goods that can be readily exchanged for cash - make up two-thirds of all claims. But there has also been a surge in claims involving malicious damage, such as graffiti and vandalism. Arson makes up only 3% of claims, but is by far the most damaging. "Four out of five companies that suffer a serious incident such as arson or a large theft end up going out of business," said Mr Mercier.

David Frost, director general of the British Chambers of Commerce, said: "These findings are consistent with our own, in that crime imposes real and significant costs on businesses."