Police have announced a crackdown on business crime in York and North Yorkshire.

It comes one week after a spate of break-ins and thefts at businesses across the city centre.

North Yorkshire Police today (Monday, October 14) said officers will be visiting retailers to understand more about the issues they face daily as part of the national Safer Business Action Week campaign.

Extra patrols will be deployed over the week, aiming to stop “prolific offenders” and prevent crime, a force spokesperson said.

They will visit shops, supermarkets and out-of-town retail centres across York and North Yorkshire.

Having more officers in busy shopping areas will “deter criminals and provide reassurance”, the police spokesperson said.

Officers will also be promoting the force’s new digital evidence management system.  This allows businesses to upload security camera footage through a web portal which is quicker than having to make an appointment to collect a USB stick or DVD.

More than 460 accounts, 220 of them businesses, have signed up to the system since it was launched in July. Almost 5,000 items of CCTV and other digital evidence have been submitted.

From these images, the spokesperson said, officers may recognise someone pictured on the CCTV. If not, the force shares stills to social media to encourage members of the public to get in touch.

“Since July 2024, North Yorkshire Police has circulated 135 such images via its website, Facebook and X – dozens of whom were identified,” the spokesperson said.

'Criminals will soon get the message that their image can be sent directly to the police with the click of the button,' says chief inspector

Chief Inspector Ryan Chapman, from North Yorkshire Police, said: “We understand the significant impact of crimes against retailers and other businesses across York and North Yorkshire.

“Our Neighbourhood Policing Teams work in very close partnership with businesses all year round, but Safer Business Action Week is an opportunity to focus on the resources we put in to protecting staff, and deterring and disrupting persistent offenders.

“We also want to highlight our investment in new technology, which is already making our investigations more efficient.

“Criminals will soon get the message that their image can be sent directly to the police with the click of the button, giving us every opportunity to bring them to justice promptly.”

Superintendent Patrick Holdaway, of the National Business Crime Centre, added: “Last year’s week of action saw some fantastic results in targeting those who cause the most harm to businesses and also in building ongoing relationships between business, partners and the police.

“This is a great opportunity to shine a light on some of the current issues businesses face and also to highlight the ongoing work that police and partners are doing, supported by the NBCC, to tackle the problems that matter to local retailers and other businesses.”