HOME OFFICE "DOESN'T CARE"!

Home Office "doesn't care"!

Crime is costing businesses a fifth more than it did four years ago - £12.6billion a year, a survey has shown.

The increase coincides with the introduction of controversial on-the-spot fines for offences such as shoplifting, criminal damage and graffiti.

The British Chambers of Commerce said the annual cost of the crimes equated to one-sixth of that for all offences committed in the UK.

And businesses said it appeared the Home Office "doesn't care" about their plight.

They also accused police of "fundamental flaws" in the way the crimes are handled.

Criminal damage and graffiti are now punished by fixed penalty notice as are some cases of shoplifting.

It means offenders escape court, receiving a fine of £80 or less instead.

Business leaders are also angry that the Government's British Crime Survey does not even gather statistics on crimes committed against businesses.

The BCC's survey of 3,900 businesses found almost two-thirds had been victims of crime in the past year.

One in five had been hit by vandalism and graffiti and a similar proportion had been burgled.

(Home Office "doesn't care")

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