A CrimeRate study revealed the most dangerous cities in the United Kingdom from a business point of view. From the data, it was clear that Leeds is currently the British city where a business is most likely to become the victim of a crime.
But how can a business operating in Leeds, or any other high crime territory, prevent itself from becoming a victim? That is precisely what we are going to explain in this new article.
What dangers do businesses and workers in the UK face?
Around 1.4 million companies operate in the United Kingdom, and around 420,000 of these were victims of crime last year.
The most common crimes are the most traditional: robberies, thefts and vandalism, which in 2023 affected 18% of businesses.
Other common dangers for companies are:
- Fraud and scams.
- Cyberattacks, such as phishing or ransomware attacks.
- Intellectual property violations.
- Corruption.
The most dangerous cities in the United Kingdom for companies and workers
As mentioned, Leeds is the most dangerous city in the United Kingdom for companies. In 2023, over 9,000 Leeds-based companies suffered some type of crime according to government and police data; equivalent to 51 recorded crimes per 1,000 inhabitants. The vast majority (94%) of these incidents were not solved.
Following Leeds in the list of the most dangerous cities in the United Kingdom, are Hull, Newcastle, Nottingham, Bradford, Manchester, Southampton, Birmingham, Leicester and Cardiff.
The consequences for companies of suffering a crime
What does it mean for a company and its workers to be victims of a crime? Because suffering an incident can directly affect its safety, it can pose a real risk to a business and its development.
Among the most serious possible consequences are:
- Direct financial loss: This is not only due to loss of physical or digital assets, but also because of the disruption caused in the company's business operations, which may lead to a loss of revenue.
- Security costs: As well as the initial losses, companies have to bear the costs of their replacement as well as those required to strengthen their security systems, if they want to prevent future incidents.
- Reputational damage: The impact of a crime can extend beyond financial losses and can affect the reputation of the company. Customers are highly likely to lose faith in a brand, especially if their personal information has been exposed.
- Impact on the worker: If any company suffers any type of crime, such as employee theft, employees will feel less safe in their workplace. This can affect both job satisfaction and performance and productivity.
Omnitec solutions to prevent company crime
Whether in the United Kingdom or any other country, the only way companies can prevent these consequences or reduce their impact is prevention. And this is related to the security of a business, so it is advisable to implement appropriate protection measures.
The products we at Omnitec Systems manufacture and distribute are very effective solutions that can help you improve security in your business.
As experts with over 15 years’ experience in protecting companies, here are some of our recommendations:
1. Establish an effective access control system
Implement advanced technologies to monitor and control access to your company premises, ensuring that only authorised personnel can enter.
Omnitec access control and movement sensor systems work via Mifare, code or Bluetooth.
2. Protect your assets with our safes
It is always a good idea to keep important company documents, cash and other valuable assets in a safe.
Our hotel safes are available in 7 different sizes, with up to 3 opening formats and 5 different technological levels.
3. Increase security in all areas with digital locks
Another effective way to increase the security of your business is to install electronic locks, which can provide complete access management for every area in your company.
Do you want to follow these tips and protect your business from the crimes you may face? At Omnitec we don't care where you are, we’re here to help! Contact us and we will design a tailor-made security solution for you.