57 business robberies a day – a warning light for SA’s retail sector
The 2016/2017 #CrimeStats are a reminder that South Africa’s battle against syndicated and organised criminals is far from won.
“With a record high of 20 680 armed robberies against business recorded in the latest crime statistics, South Africa is experiencing 57 attacks per day, a figure that should prompt critical intervention by industry and government,” says Richard Phillips, joint CEO of Cash Connect.
“Judging by the national crime statistics released by Minister of Police, Fikile Mbalula, cash- related crime has increased yet again, sounding an alarm that the mitigation of cash crime should be prioritised.”
Crime stats show that business robberies increased by 4.9 per cent from 19 698 in 2015/2016 to 20 680 for the last year, while the business burglaries figure also shows an upward spiral with 75 618 burglaries in 2016/2017.
Following a new-millennium low of 119 robberies reported in the 2014/2015 national statistics, the 2016/2017 graph shows an increase of 11 per cent with 152 CIT (cash in transit) robberies.
Sabric chief executive, Kalyani Pillay earlier this month revealed that the organisation had recorded 232 CIT incidents nationally this year from January 1 to August 31.
“An increase of 49 per cent is evident when comparing this year to the same period last year,” Pillay said.
Phillips said professional and habitual criminals who are extremely well organised, skilled and financed, are attacking the retail sector, the CIT sector, as well as banks and ATMs in pursuit of large quantities of cash.
“While Cash Connect was able to protect more than R40-billion of its customers’ cash for this year alone, the big issue remains the prioritisation of cash crimes. The SA Police Service have to ensure that crime intelligence, policing, the NPA and the courts collaborate with the cash industry in the interests of safeguarding the cash that feeds the retail and commercial economy.”
According to him, based on past lessons and information contained in crime statistics, investment in certain key areas could be the answer for the retail and CIT industries.
- Crime fighting
According to Dr Johan Burger, senior researcher at the Institute for Security Studies, one can draw on the lessons of the past.
“The priority crime initiative on bank and CIT crime, which was led by the South African Police Services and operated for at least six years through the turn of the century, was a cornerstone of the multi-faceted approach that brought CIT and other cash-related crimes under control before,” said Burger.
“South Africa reeled under 700 to 800 attacks a year in the 1990s. Crime intelligence and a tightly coordinated, professional response strategy worked then, and will again.”
Phillips said more needs to be done.
“The CIT providers, and indeed retailers and the banking industry as well, have to keep lobbying the Justice cluster to operationalise the prioritisation of bank and CIT crime, and start working much closer with the industry to contain syndicated and organised crime.
“Fighting this type of crime has to be at least as sophisticated as the planning and execution that make it possible.”
- Prevention starts on the shop floor
According to Phillips, research has shown that a staggering 90 per cent of attacks on businesses are carried out with information gained from the inside.
“This suggests that employers can play a far greater role in safeguarding their own businesses by engaging with the people who work for them and investing in better workplace relationships.”
Mari Lee, CEO of DevCom, a communication agency that specialises in helping businesses to change their processes to engage employees and external stakeholders in ways that directly contribute to the achievement of business results, agrees.
“The dozens of research projects we’ve done over the years confirmed again and again that employees who feel respected, valued and listened to will do what is best for their company,” said Lee.
“Retailers should be motivated by the intelligence in the crime stats to invest time, effort and money in meaningful employee engagement.”
Phillips concluded that South Africa’s retail and CIT sectors are desperate for a critical intervention to curb cash crime.
“By pushing for a coordinated approach of sharing crucial information among industry bodies and investing in crime intelligence, technology improvements and labour relations, the tide can be turned. The time for action is now,” said Phillips.
For more information on the latest #CrimeStats and tips for retailers to reduce your risk for an armed robbery visit www.crimestatssouthafrica.co.za or follow on Twitter @cashconnectsus for real-time cash and crime statistics and news.
