Cheltenham Safe is a retail crime reduction scheme, working in partnership with the Police, Cheltenham Borough Council, the Chamber of Commerce and other key partners.
The British Retail Consortium’s Annual Retail Crime Survey reveals that the impact of crime and crime prevention costs the retail sector more than £2 billion a year.
Despite this investment, nationally customer theft has proved to be a growing problem. More worryingly, violence against retail staff is still of grave concern with incidents of verbal abuse steadily rising over the past decade.
There is conclusive evidence that membership of an effective crime reduction group will reduce losses and create a safer environment for both customers and staff.
Since its launch in 2007, Cheltenham Safe has through effective partnership working achieved significant reductions in retail crime and crimes of violence in contrast to a national picture of increasing crime levels. A recent survey of members indicates that they believe membership of Cheltenham Safe has made a substantial contribution to this reduction.
The success of the scheme is due to its close partnership approach, drawing together businesses and other services from across the town in working together to make Cheltenham a safe place.
This partnership approach ensures Cheltenham remains an attractive destination for its residents and visitors but an unattractive destination for criminals to come to because of the targeted approach and the businesses that are informed and linked together in tackling crime.
Cheltenham Safe operates two schemes: daysafe and nightsafe.