Business crime costs double

Costs incurred from crimes against business more than doubled over the past five years from £8.7bn to £22.8bn.

The figures include how much businesses spend on the ‘anticipation of crime’ such as installation of CCTV and burglar alarms and the ‘consequences of crime’ such as stolen or damaged property and the ‘response to crime’ such as policing and court time.

The same period saw a sharp rise in murders, serious assaults, rape and robbery according to a Labour Party report. The cost of murder reached £2.6bn, violent offences cost £28.9bn and robberies cost £4.2bn. Thefts against businesses is valued at £9.9bn.