'60% of SMEs' hit by crime

Nearly six out of every ten small and medium-sized businesses become the victims of crime every year, a new report has warned.

The survey of 18,000 firms, which was carried out by the Federation of Small Businesses (FSB), revealed that while 58% of small businesses experience criminal acts, less than half of these are reported.

The report highlights the fact that businesses are twice as likely to fall victim to criminal acts as households, and criticises the Home Office for failing to prioritise business crime.

David Croucher of the FSB said, 'There is a perception amongst business owners that the UK is experiencing a crime epidemic and that no-one cares. Sentences are lower for commercial burglaries than domestic burglaries, and criminal damage and theft from commercial premises have effectively been de-criminalised'.

The business group is calling for a number of measures to be put in place to help tackle the problem, including:

• Business crime to be recorded as a distinct category, separate from domestic crime
  
• Crime against business to be made a Key Performance Indicator by the Home Office
  
• Businesses to report all crimes to the police
  
• Sentencing guidelines to be revised, to ensure that crimes of a similar nature are treated equally
  
• A business crime compensation scheme to be established, to prevent otherwise viable businesses from closing down.