Business Crime Week of Action in Grimsby and Cleethorpes

A national week of action will be launched on 16th October 2023 in Grimsby and Cleethorpes as retailers and businesses come together to tackle issues that are important to the community. 

The Safer Business Action Week will start on Monday 16th October and will involve Grimsby Retailers In Partnership (GRiP CIC) which brings local businesses together to reduce crime, working with Humberside Police and SPS Security to deliver a focussed operation with joint patrols, the targeted intervention of offenders and a range of crime prevention activity including raising awareness of the local issues with the public. 

Operation Shopkind is a national campaign to bring the retail sector together in partnership with the police and other partners to positively address the growing problem of violence and abuse against shop workers.  Last year, GRiP CIC were successful in an application for £30,000 funding from the Police and Crime Commissioner’s Community Safety Fund to provide 2-way radios and the DISC application which has allowed retailers in Grimsby town centre and Freeman Street to share information about offenders with the aim of bringing down crime and anti-social-behaviour.  

To coincide with this year’s Business Crime Reduction Week, GRiP have secured a further £26,500 from the Commissioner’s Fund to extend the scheme onto Grimsby Road and St Peter’s Avenue in Cleethorpes. This will provide 20 two-way radios and the DISC application to keep even more businesses and staff safe and secure. Businesses will receive training on using the system and be able to provide information directly to Humberside Police so patrols can be proactively targeted to affected areas.      

Operation ShopKind urges the public to be mindful of shop workers' essential role in serving residents. Humberside Police will lead this month’s days of action with a high visibility presence, showing a united front with community safety partners emphasising that shop workers should be treated with respect and kindness to counter the negativity and threats that are putting them in fear of crime. 

Humberside Police and Crime Commissioner Jonathan Evison commented: “Every day across the country 400 shop workers are abused or are subjected to violent incidents. This is totally unacceptable and we must do more to protect retailers and ensure that staff can come to work free from fear. I am pleased that this further investment from my Community Safety Fund will enable more retailers to share information and send a strong message of solidarity to anyone who targets a business for criminal gain or behaves unacceptably towards staff.”     

Humberside Police Neighbourhood Inspector for Grimsby East Matt Stringer said: “We have seen a real success with the GRiP partnership in Grimsby Town Centre and Freeman Street, with positive relationships between, businesses, retailers and police being built. 

“Through these relationships and use of GRiP, we have seen numerous examples where individuals intent on causing harm to our communities through shoplifting, violence or public order offences have been arrested. 

“I am really excited that GRiP is expanding to Grimsby Road and St Peter’s Avenue and look forward to working even more closely with the businesses in these areas. GRiP is proving a valuable asset in making our communities a safer place to live and work and my team are absolutely committed to ensuring this happens.” 

Ayolt Kloosterboer, Chair, Grimsby Retailers in Partnership (GRIP) and McDonald’s Franchisee said: 

“There are a range of effective measures available to help retail and other businesses to deter threats to staff, whether from individuals as part of wider criminal gangs or in random, isolated incidents. By working collaboratively and as a business community will we be able to better support our teams on the front line. We are delighted to have secured further funding to extend our successful scheme to involve more businesses to help themselves and others stay safe. We are urging all our members and the public to get behind the national Safer Business Week’s days of action in Grimsby.”

 Retailers and businesses located on Grimsby Road are invited to a briefing for Safer Business Action Week at the Community Hub, 82 Grimsby Road on Wednesday 18th October 2023 at 1pm including refreshments. Find out about business crime reduction and how community safety partners are working together to help us all keep Grimsby Road safe.